Revealing the truth
by phoenixgirl26
Summary: Harry finds Snape is still alive in the shrieking shack. The two men help each other recover from their numerous injuries only to develop feelings for each other. Then the time comes to explain what had taken place over the last eighteen years, the whole truth will be revealed. Warning: sexual content, gay content.
1. Chapter 1

This is a Snarry story/Harry and Snape. Warning: there are descriptions of gay sex. Warning: there is mention of rape, not of any character and no description. If you are uncomfortable in anyway regarding these subjects, then I suggest you don't read any further. This is my own story based on Jk Rowling's Characters and her books, I do not own anything apart from the idea of this story and I make no money. I write for fun.

Chapter one

Harry Potter was exhausted, he was in pain, and he felt sick. He was relieved that Voldemort was dead, along with a lot of his supporters, but he couldn't feel happy. He walked slowly outside onto the ground of Hogwarts and looked around at all the damage. Then for some reason he couldn't understand, he made his way under the whomping willow then through the tunnel until he stepped into the shrieking shake. Harry stared down at Severus Snape, then he noticed some things that were not there when he left, potion bottles. Harry stared down at them and couldn't work out where they came from, but he decided it wasn't important. Finally he knelt down next to Severus Snape and stared at his pale face.

'H…help…me,' Severus croaked as his slowly opened his eyes, 'H…h…help.'

'Blimey, I thought you died. I need to go get Madame Pomfrey.'

'N…no, you…help, please.'

'How, I can't heal, I can't even lift you.'

'Just…s…stay, give…give,' Severus hand dropped to the floor, 'P…pocket.'

Harry nodded then put his hand inside Snape's robes and found more potion bottles. He held each one up to Snape so he could nod or shake his head, then gave him the potions.

'There is an old bed in the other room, I could float you in there if you want me too?'

'S…soon, need…to…heal.' Snape's fists clenched as he grimaced.

Harry saw how much pain Snape was in and how he kept clenching his fists, so even though he still didn't know how he felt about this man, Harry took his hand and let him squeeze it. He wasn't sure how long they sat on the floor together, but Harry figured he was over an hour at least, maybe two.

'Can…you help…me up?' Snape's croaky voice asked.

'Okay, I'll try not to hurt you,' Harry stood, then put his hand under his professor's arm and using the last of his strength, lifted him to his feet, then let Snape lean on him why they walked slowly out of that room and into the other room Harry sat Snape down on the bed, 'I really should get Madame Pomfrey to look at you.'

'Soon, for…now, I'll survive, just need…to rest,' Snape panted, 'Tell me, what's going…on out…there?'

'Well Voldemort is dead, that's the big news,' Harry saw the surprise on Snape's weak face, 'After you gave me that memory, I never intended to watch it, I went to speak with Dumbledore's portrait, but they were all empty. I had no idea what to do next, so I decided to watch the memory, I was clutching at anything that might help.'

'So…you know, but how did…you survive?'

'Not really sure about that. But I let him kill me, seems even then it didn't work. But that got destroyed, the one inside me. I pretended to be dead so he wouldn't know I was alive, then Neville killed the snake for me, she was the last one. Fighting started again, I finally let him know I was alive, we talked, then I killed him. All this could have been for nothing if I didn't watch your memory, Dumbledore might have been powerful, but that just pissed me off, he should have told me before he died.'

'Yes…he should have and…I did tell…him that a…few times. But now, what about…Bellatrix and the others?'

'Most are dead, Bellatrix got killed by Mrs. Weasley. Fred had just died, Ginny almost died and she just told everyone to stay back. The Malfoy's are all alive and under guard at the moment, some ran when they were outnumbered,' Harry sighed wearily then sat on the floor against the wall, 'A lot of luck won this fight,' Harry put his head down on his knees.

'You look tired.'

Harry lifted his head, 'Yeah, I am, been awake for, well, I'm not sure how long.'

'You're injured as well, lots of blood on you.'

Harry looked down at all the blood and dirt, 'Yeah, he decided to have some fun when he thought I was dead,' Harry opened his shirt at where the blood was worse, 'I need to get this fixed, probably will scar like my other one, but at least it won't get stared at,' Harry sighed again then closed his shirt, then looked at Snape, 'Why didn't you stop the students getting hurt?'

'Tried, but if I didn't let some of those punishments go, they would have been suspicious. I saw you follow my patronus, did you get the sword, I couldn't stay to see, I had to get back?'

'Yeah, almost died doing it. When I got close to it, the blasted horcrux around my neck tried to choke me. I only survived thanks to Ron pulling me out. Why did you have to leave it under water, I'm not a good swimmer and it was freezing, was it just more punishment because I look like my father.'

'Only a worthy Gryffindor can get the sword, you had to earn it you could say.'

'You still could have stuck it up a tree or something, but…' Harry hesitated, 'thanks.'

'You're welcome.'

Harry stared at Snape, 'I don't think I've ever heard you say that or sound like that before. Was it all part of this act you've been putting on for years?'

'Most was an act, not all of it, I still think you're arrogant, like your father.'

'Oh cut the shit Snape, I won't take that anymore, I don't need to. Too much has happened for me to take any of your snide remarks anymore,' Harry pushed himself to his feet, then groaned loudly, he held onto the wall.

'You don't look too good?'

'I feel like shit,' Harry felt dizzy and went to sit down again, but ended up collapsed unconscious onto the floor.

Snape slowly pushed himself up, then knelt at Harry. He wasn't a healer, but he could tell Potter had a lot of injures and he had lost a lot of blood. So he pulled a potion out of his pocket, poured it into Potter's mouth, then stared down at him, wondering what he should do. Help him, for Lily, or let the people at the school know he was here. Snape knew he needed a bit longer to heal before trying to lift Potter, so he sat down and just watched him. He thought since he needed time, he would decide then.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two

Up at the castle, Hermione and Ron were looking for Harry. They searched everywhere and found no sign of him. They raced into the damaged great hall because they knew some of the order had found death eaters hiding, waiting so they could escape, so they didn't know if one of them might have got hold of Harry.

'Kingsley,' Ron said panting heavily.

'What's wrong?'

'We can't find Harry anywhere, we were told he was seen heading outside, that was hours ago. We've looked everywhere, no sign of him. What if someone took him, he was injured and tired, he might not have been able to fight.'

'Let me organise people to search, stay here so I can find you,' Kingsley walked away and started talking to different people.

Arthur hurried to his son, 'Ron, what is it?'

'We can't find Harry, no one has seen him for over an hour. Kingsley's organising a search.'

'Let me get the boys,' Arthur headed back down to his family, 'Bill, Charlie, Percy, George, Harry's missing, Kingsley's organising to search, we could use the help.'

'I'll help,' Ginny said looking worried.

'I'll help too Arthur, I can do more looking than sitting here.'

'If you want Molly, Ginny, go down to Ron, I'll see Minerva,' Arthur hurried over to her, 'Minerva, we're going to help search for Harry. Could you put Fred somewhere until it's time to take him away?'

'I'll take care of it Arthur and the staff are going to help look for Harry as well. He must be here somewhere.'

'Let's hope he is.'

Ron and Hermione stood with their arms around each other watching everyone get organised into groups by Kingsley. Then they all finally went to different areas of Hogwarts, some inside, some outside and they started searching, but kept alert for any danger. Ron and Hermione were with their friends, Neville organising the DA the moment they heard Harry was missing.

Even though everyone was exhausted, they searched for hours and found no trace of Harry. No one knew what to do or where else to look. Kingsley did organise the order and the last couple of aurors that had survived to work on some plans in case Harry had been taken. Hagrid had told everyone that he'd seen Harry walking around the back of the castle, he was limping and moving slowly, like he was injured. But that search brought no sign of Harry Potter and even though no one voiced their concerned, they were worried, extremely worried that a death eater had taken him in his weakened state. Now they hoped they found him and more importantly, he was alive.

Even though Ron and Hermione were exhausted from no sleep over the last two days, they both refused to sleep, they kept searching for Harry, even leaving Hogwarts to search anywhere and everywhere. Finally tiredness won out and they both fell asleep on mats in the great hall. The rest of the Weasley's had gone home, but after some sleep, they boys did return to keep searching, but like before, they never found a sign of Harry Potter.

Harry Potter woke slowly and looked around, but without his glasses, everything was blurred and out of focus. He groaned as he tried to reach beside him to find his glasses, when they were placed in his hand. He put them on and stared up at Severus Snape.

'Where am I?'

'My home, you passed out, that was three days ago. I've been giving you potions to help heal all your injuries.'

'Thanks, but I still feel like shit.'

'You have a lot of healing to do, so stay still. Are you hungry, I can bring you in something to eat, but you are not to move from that bed.'

'I need the bathroom Snape, give me a break.'

'Then I will assist you, if you try to walk yourself, you'll probably fall on your arse again,' Snape moved the blankets off Harry, then held his hand out to him.

'Blimey, where are my clothes?' Harry tugged the blankets back over his naked body.

'I removed them to heal you Potter, stop complaining. Now you said something about the bathroom.'

'I need some clothes Snape.'

'Fine, I will get you one of my robes for now. You cannot put those disgusting things back on,' Snape whirled around and left the room but was back within a minute, 'Now I will have to help put this on you and since I have already see your naked body Potter, you will have to let me see it again.'

Harry growled softly under his breath, then threw the blankets off and let Snape put the robe on him which was of course, way too big. Then Snape moved his wand over the robes, shrinking them.

'Thanks,' Harry said grudgingly, then let the grumpy old teacher help him up and into the bathroom, 'You can leave me so I can go about my business.'

'If I leave you, I'll find you on the floor. I will turn my head, just please do what you have to.'

'Fine,' Harry grumbled, then waited until Snape turned his head before pulling himself out, but he sighed with relief when he finished, then hands helped him over to the sink where he washed his own hands and was instantly placed back on the bed, 'Why didn't you take me to Madame Pomfrey?'

'I was not ready to answer questions, or for them to know I am alive. You needed help, so I brought you here.'

'My friends are probably wondering where I am, especially Hermione and Ron, not to mention the Weasley's.'

'They probably think you've gone off on your own, on another little adventure, more excitement, that's your style Potter.'

'Oh fuck off Snape,' Harry growled, 'You know perfectly well that is not me. So either stop with the snarly comments or take me back to Hogwarts?'

'You cannot move yet, you've already started bleeding again just from that small trip to the bathroom. So here, take the potion and I'll get you some food, and never swear at me again.'

Harry smirked up at him as he took the potion, 'And what will you say if I do fucking swear Snape, whip me, hit me, throw some more snide comments my way, become your obnoxious self?' Harry glared until Snape left him alone, 'Git,' he grumbled then felt the aches and pain all over his body, so he got himself more comfortable until he saw Snape walk back in with a tray, he never said anything, just placed the tray on the bed beside him, then left the room. Harry looked down at the tray and even though he really didn't want to eat something Snape made, he was starving, so he had no choice.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three

Harry finished eating and even though he hated to admit it, the food tasted good. He leant against the headboard of the bed and looked around the room and realised that this must be Snape's bedroom and wondered where he was sleeping. But he couldn't believe he'd been naked this whole time. He did see his invisibility cloak which had been inside his jacket and he saw the three wands, his phoenix feather wand, Malfoy's wand and the elder wand, he also saw his pouch sitting on top. He needed to let his friends know where he was and that he was okay, then he started to wonder if he could work out how to get his patronus to talk, like Dumbledore did. He grabbed his phoenix feather wand when Snape walked back in.

'Here, you can write to your friends and I will send it off.'

'Thanks,' Harry said grudgingly then put his wand back and took the ink, quill and parchment.

'Tell me Potter, why do you have Albus' wand?'

'My wand now, I won it, like I won Malfoy's wand.'

'I thought I recognised the other wand, so tell me how you ended up with both of those wands?'

Harry rolled his eyes, 'Fine, Hermione, Ron and I were captured and taken to Malfoy manor, being a death eater you probably heard about that, or heard how we escaped. But we got into a fight after rescuing Hermione from Bellatrix, I disarmed Malfoy. So that wand now belongs to me, according to what Mr. Ollivander said. Voldemort took Dumbledore's wand from his tomb, but if you remember Snape, Malfoy disarmed him that night, so it belonged to him until I disarmed Malfoy. I spoke to Dumbledore's portrait, he knows I own it wand now,' Harry stared up at the potions master, 'Dumbledore intended you to have his wand, did you know that, lucky for me that part of his plan never worked or Voldemort would still be here.'

'Why would Albus want me to have his wand, I have my own?'

'I don't know if I trust you enough to tell you, you might go back to your old ways now you don't need to help protect me. It's hard to tell where you're loyalty lies sometimes.'

Snape sneered, 'Yes, I promised to protect you, but you can forget about that now. So just tell me about the wand.'

'Maybe when you earn my trust I will.'

'I should just throw you out on the street and let you fend for yourself.'

'Maybe you should. But if I write to my friends, they can come and get me then I'll be out of your…hair.'

'No, I would rather not have anyone know I'm alive or where I live. So please do not tell them, not until I am ready. I will help you until you heal, then you can leave.'

Harry sighed, 'Fine, I won't tell them you have me. But can you tell me how long I need before I can leave?'

'A week, maybe a little longer, that wound you have was caused by dark magic. Even you Potter should know dark magic is difficult to heal. Now since we both know that it was not just caused by the killing curse but by his soul being destroyed, that is the reason why it will take longer than your first scar. The soul entering your body never caused any problems apart from the scar, but destroying something so dark and so powerful has caused problems.'

Harry sighed as he lowered his head, 'Yeah, problems,' Harry felt his stomach churn at the thought of that thing being inside him.

'You've gone very pale, what is wrong Potter,' Snape took a step closer to Harry, then stopped when he started retching, so he pulled his wand and conjured a bucket at the side of the bed, within seconds Harry was throwing up, but Snape finally understood. He waited until Harry was finished, summoned a glass of water and a damp cloth before vanishing the bucket, 'Drink this.'

Harry reached out with a shaky hand and took the glass and cloth, wiped his mouth then took a drink.

Harry looked up, 'Did it damage me?'

'Did it damage you,' Snape sighed, 'As far as I can tell, no. But answer this Potter, are you feeling pain in either scar or feel the anger you were feeling from the dark lord?'

'No, nothing, but it was there, all my life it was inside me, part of me. How can you be sure it never did anything to me?'

'I'm sure you know that I do understand how dark magic works. I might not have realised he made such horrendous dark objects like horcruxes, but I do know about them. It was inside you yes, but that just gave you a connection and kept him alive. Now it is gone, everything is gone and left your soul completely undamaged.'

Harry nodded, 'Thanks, doesn't make me feel better though,' Harry sat there thinking and apart from Dumbledore, Snape was the only person that really knew about all this stuff, 'Can I ask you something Snape?'

'You can ask.'

Harry lifted his head again, 'How do you live with the things you see. I saw him do some disturbing things through that connection. You saw it, but with me, I also felt it, how do you do it, live with what you saw?'

Snape sighed, 'I do it by knowing I was working to stop him. I might have had to let people die in order to achieve that, but they were necessary sacrifices, ones that were needed and I had no choice but to let happen. I would have sacrificed myself if needed, but staying alive, staying with him allowed me to gather enough information to help Albus, which in turn helped you. You Potter, need to see those things as part of the way you defeated him. It might sound cold, but to win over someone as sadistic, evil and cruel as he was, you have to do what is necessary, use any means to achieve that. But right now, this is the time you need to think that if those deaths never occurred, he might still be here. You said you let him kill you, you wanted to stop him and use any means to achieve that. You survived, some people did not, but think of it as this. Would those people willingly die to stop him, most would say yes, I think we both know not all would. So see those as sacrifices that were necessary to achieve the free world we now have. Every time you think of what you saw or remember, think of what you were willing to do to stop it, think about what it would be like if he was still here. Eventually you will learn to put all that behind you, but of course that won't be now. Heal your body, then start to heal your heart and mind.'

Harry kept staring up at Snape and the way he sounded was like he had never heard from him before. Maybe this time here will finally let Harry see what Snape was really like, see what his mother saw in Snape. Because from what he heard about his mother, she would give her love and trust to good people, never to anyone malicious or bad, so there must be something in Snape that she saw that no one else ever had.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter four

Later that day, Harry did write a letter to Hermione and Ron, then gave it to Snape to send and figured he must have an owl. He sat there staring around the room again trying to see something that would give him an idea of what Snape was really like, but it was bare, no personal items, like books or pictures. Maybe this wasn't Snape's bedroom, but a spare room even if the bed itself was beautiful and big. Again he wondered why Snape brought him here instead of just letting the school know he was injured and in the shrieking shack. He wanted to ask Snape, but he admitted, if only to himself that Snape still scared him a little even if he knew he was helping all along.

At Hogwarts, an owl flew down and landed in front of Minerva. She took the parchment, unfolded it, read it then hurried from the great hall.

Minerva and Kingsley stepped into the kitchen of the Burrow, 'Harry's fine,' she handed Hermione the parchment, where she started reading instantly.

'Hermione and Ron, sorry if you're worried. I never realised how badly injured I was and passed out. Someone, I can't tell you who, but he helped me, I'm staying with him until I heal. I can't stand or walk right now, so he's helping with that. I wish I could tell you where I am or who I'm with, but he asked me not to say anything. I figured since he is helping, I would do what he wanted. He thinks a week, maybe a little longer before I'll be okay enough to leave. Every time I move, my shoulder keeps bleeding, he said dark magic is hard to heal and this one more so as it's where it was destroyed, not like the first one where it was just created. So I'm taking a lot of shitty tasting potions, but I am getting better. Ron, tell Hermione to stop worrying, I know she will be, but I'm fine, just sore and knackered. Hopefully, I will see you in a week or so. Harry.'

'Are you positive that is Harry's writing?' Molly asked.

'It is, I know Harry's writing,' Hermione said staring down at the letter.

'Who is this bloke that's helping Harry and why wouldn't he want anyone to know?' Ron asked.

'That's the thing that is worrying me Ron. It must be someone Harry trusts enough to drink those potions.'

'Apart from all of us, our friends, the staff of Hogwarts and you Kingsley, Harry doesn't trust a lot of people. So yeah, it must be someone he knows and trust. Do you think it might be Aberforth, but why would he want to keep this quiet?' Ron asked.

'I've seen Aberforth, it's not him. We thought it would be you two that might be able to work it out and to ask if the way Harry sounded in his letter might be troubling you in any way, like he was forced to write that to throw us off.'

'It sounds like Harry, if he was being held and forced to write this, he would have put something in that we'd pick up. Like how he said Ron, tell Hermione to stop worrying. If he wanted us to know something wasn't right, he would have written, Hermione, tell Ron to stop worrying, opposite, so it would give us a clue. I am the one that worries about Harry all the time. So this is really from Harry Professor.'

'That's good to hear, now what's this dark magic injury he mentioned?' Kingsley asked.

Hermione and Ron glanced at each other, before they looked at everyone in the kitchen of the Burrow.

'Voldemort hit Harry with the killing curse again, he has another lightning shaped, well not scar, it's still a wound at the moment, he showed us when he explained a few things.'

'Albus explained to the order that Harry survived as a child because of his mother's sacrifice. Why did he survive this time, there has to be a reason?' Kingsley looked around the room but noticed Hermione and Ron glance at each other again, 'You two, come on, tell us what you know.'

'Harry said he would explain to a few people, I know he wanted to tell the family and I know he wanted to tell Professor McGonagall. I think he would have told you Kingsley, but asked one thing before he mentioned this.'

'What is it Ron, because we need to know how he survived? The captured death eaters will eventually say they saw Voldemort hit Harry with the killing curse again, so word will spread.'

Ron looked at Hermione who nodded, 'Now we're not sure how many of you know what a horcrux is.'

'As an auror, we study all types of dark magic and dark objects, that happens to be the worst there is.'

'I did read about that when I was young, before all books with them mentioned were removed from our world. So how did you know about them and Harry, we heard him mentioned horcrux to Voldemort,' Minerva said.

'Professor Dumbledore told Harry, he was only allowed to tell us. Professor Dumbledore never destroyed the books he took out of Hogwarts,' Hermione took her wand and summoned her beaded bag and pulled out three large, ugly books, 'These are those books Professor. Professor Dumbledore worked out that Voldemort made a horcrux when Harry told him about the memory of Tom Riddle in the chamber of secrets. So he started to study Voldemort, study memories he collected of Voldemort. He would show Harry and they would discuss them. But what Professor Dumbledore found out was that Voldemort never made just one, he made seven. Why Harry survived Kingsley, Harry became a horcrux that night seventeen years ago. Harry found out when Voldemort called a stop in the fighting. I told Harry to go into Voldemorts mind and find out where he was because we needed to kill the snake as she was a horcrux, made after he returned a few years ago. Harry found out he was in the shrieking shake, we went in there, listened to him talking to Professor Snape, we were under Harry's cloak, then Voldemort left after telling Nagini to kill Snape. We have no idea why, but Harry went in and knelt next to Snape who was still alive at the time. He told Harry to take them, to see me, he wanted Harry to take his memories, which he did, then he died. Ron and I went into the great hall, Harry didn't and we never saw him until he appeared in the great hall before he killed Voldemort. What he told us was the memory revealed Professor Dumbledore telling Professor Snape that Harry was a horcrux and to tell Harry when Voldemort feared for the life of his snake, then to tell Harry that he had to let Voldemort kill him, which Harry did. He never told us before because he didn't want to say goodbye. So he walked into the forbidden forest to die, he did that so we could live,' Hermione lowered her head as she wiped a tear away that had started running down her face. Everyone in the kitchen of the Burrow was silent as they stared at Hermione and realised what Harry was willing to do to make sure Voldemort was gone from their lives.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five

'So he realised unless he died, Voldemort would never die. That's the idea of a horcrux, as long as you have one out there, you will always live, forever,' Kingsley said as he sat down, 'Everything makes sense now, why Harry saw Arthur get attacked, why he can speak parseltongue.'

'How he knew Voldemort was turning up the other night. Harry told me, he said he's on his way, he saw it.'

'Yes Professor, he could see through Voldemort, feel what he was feeling. Harry used to collapse whenever Voldemort was really angry, it caused severe pain in his scar. So his shoulder is where the killing curse hit him and destroyed the piece of Voldemorts soul that was inside Harry, but it actually saved him. After that, Harry could have died, but he never knew any of that. All he knew was he had to die and had to die at Voldemorts hand. Like what the prophecy said, either must die at the hand of the other, for neither can live why the other survives. So Harry saw this as the prophecy playing out, he would die at Voldemorts hand.' Hermione explained.

'He said he was scared, but thoughts of joining Sirius and his parents kept him strong and kept Voldemort from seeing his fear. But he also told us that he wanted to go be with them, he wanted this life to end because it had never been any good, so why stay.' Ron said.

'Did he sound depressed or upset when he explained all this?' Arthur asked.

'Yeah, he sounded very depressed. We asked why dad, he said knowing that he had lived with a piece of soul of the man that killed his parents made him feel sick, disgusted, he even looked sick. When I asked if he was coming back here he said no, he was going to stay at the Hogshead, that he wanted some time to himself.'

'So he's not feeling good about himself at the moment. But about Professor Snape, we went into the shrieking shake, but he's body was not in there, we did find blood. Now why would Albus tell him this and expect him to tell Harry. He murdered Albus, he was in control of Hogwarts, students got tortured, that he allowed to happen?'

'Harry said something to Voldemort about Snape being in love with his mother, I have no idea what that meant or why Harry said he was Dumbledore's man the whole time.'

'Maybe there was more in that memory Professor, he left it in Professor Dumbledore's pensieve. He said he was going to get it later.'

'I think we both need to see it Minerva. But you said before that Harry would ask something when he explained, do you know what that is?'

'Yes, he knew you would need to say something as a lot of people heard what Harry said to Voldemort about his horcruxes. So Harry said you could, but not about him, he doesn't want anyone to know. He thought the Weasley's deserved to know for supporting him for years. He also said Professor McGonagall trusted him when he said he was turning up,' Hermione gave her Professor a smile, 'So he thought you deserved to know. Now I know he respects you Kingsley and he does trust you, even with his life, that's why we think he would have told you as well, as long as you left out that one bit of information.'

'I won't put that into any statement. But we should go watch that memory so I can start working on what I have to say. If you hear from Harry again, let us know.'

'Before you go Kingsley, you said you studied horcruxes. Will having that inside Harry for so long do anything to him, damage him in anyway. See,' Hermione put her hand inside her beaded bag and pulled out the cup, locked and diadem, 'As you can see, these are damaged. Once we destroyed the horcrux, this is how they looked.'

'That locket belonged to Salazar Slytherin and the cup was Helga Hufflepuffs. I know Harry was looking for the diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw.' Minerva stared at the items.

'From what I remember Hermione, Harry shouldn't have any residual effect, but I can't be positive. There has never been a person made into a horcrux before. It's always items that someone will use.'

'Do you think that's why he said it might be another week or so to heal?' Molly asked.

'That might be it Molly. When I get back to the ministry, I will go through that information again, see if there is anything Harry might need to know.'

'Professor, do you want these books, their terrible, I hated even touching them. But they did belong to Professor Dumbledore and these items belonged to the founders.'

'I will return them to Hogwarts Hermione. But do you know what the other items are. You said seven, Harry and the snake were two, these three, so that leaves two.'

'A ring that belonged to Voldemorts wizard grandfather, Marvolo Gaunt, Professor Dumbledore destroyed that, but that is what cursed his hand, Harry never said a lot about that, only Dumbledore told him that even he could make mistakes. The other item was the diary Ginny used to open the chamber of secrets. As you know, Harry destroyed that even if he didn't know it was a horcrux at the time.'

'One more thing Hermione, how did you three and Albus destroy these, because you can't just use any spell, not on something so dark?'

'The ring and locket were destroyed by the sword of Gryffindor. Harry stabbed the basilisk with that sword, so being goblin made, it takes in only what makes it stronger. So it was coated in basilisk blood, enough so it was able to destroy a horcrux and why Professor Dumbledore left it for Harry in his will. We used a basilisk fang to destroy the cup, like Harry used a fang to destroy the diary, fiend fyre destroyed the diadem. Neville used the sword to kill the snake and Voldemort used the killing curse on Harry.'

'Now a lot more is making sense, I could never work out why Albus left Harry the sword when it belongs to Hogwarts, not him.'

'It was a clue Professor, to let us know that the sword or basilisk venom will destroy a horcrux. That took us a while to work out. Someone brought us the real sword Professor, the one that Ginny and the others tried to steel was a fake Professor Dumbledore had made. The real one was in his office, behind his portrait. We have no idea who brought it to us, only that Harry found it in a frozen pond and a doe patronus led him to that pond,' Hermione said then saw Professor McGonagall go wide eyed and her hand went over her mouth. Everyone realised Minerva McGonagall knew who that doe patronus belonged to.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter six

'Minerva, do you know who's patronus that was?' Kingsley asked.

'There has only been one doe patronus in the last eighteen years. I never knew it was his until the dementors turned up at that quidditch game. You might not have taken any notice because you were worried about Harry when he fell. But I saw him cast the doe to drive the dementors away.'

'Who is it Minerva?' Arthur asked.

'Severus, he cast a doe patronus. The last one before I knew Severus' was a doe was Lily Potter.'

'Are you saying Snape brought us the sword that would destroy a horcrux and eventually lead to Voldemorts death, why?' Ron asked.

'I really can't say Ron. I do know that Severus and Lily were friends when they were at Hogwarts. That was before Lily and James became a couple. All I know about this is Lily and Severus had a falling out in their sixth year. I came out onto the grounds and saw Severus, Lily, James, Sirius, Remus and Peter all yelling. Lily said something to Severus before storming off, then James had Severus upside down, then took his pants off. I had to rescue Severus and I gave James a month's detention. When I asked what was going on, he refused to tell me, only that Snivellus as James called him, deserved it. I even questioned Sirius, he said that Severus called Lily something and James just lost his temper. But before that day, Lily and Severus were inseparable, best friends, from their first day. I did find out that Severus and Lily grew up not far from each other. Albus asked me not to mention this to Harry because of their differences.'

'Harry said Snape loved his mother and was Dumbledore's man. Snape took the sword to Harry, he also gave Harry a memory which explained he had been a horcrux and Harry had to die. Sounds like Snape was really helping, but what about when he killed Albus and what happened to the students. This is all very confusing and it looks like only Harry has the answers.'

'Unless the answers are in that memory Kingsley, so why don't we go watch it. But if Harry returns, let us know, we might need some more questions answered.'

'We'll let you know Professor,' Hermione and everyone watched them leave before she turned to Ron, 'Snape's body wasn't in the shrieking shack Ron, he looked dead, we saw it. Now Harry is with someone that doesn't want anyone to know. Do you think he survived and Harry's with him?'

'Hermione, he died, we saw him take his last breath and he was bleeding heavily from all the times Nagini bit him, he couldn't have survived that. But I have no idea where his body is, we left it there.'

'Until Harry returns, it's all guess work at the moment. Let's just hope Harry really is okay,' Arthur said then he got up and left the house, why other Weasley's all went to different parts of the house. Hermione and Ron went up to Ron's bedroom, Molly started preparing dinner, why Ginny sat there thinking about everything she had heard and even knowing Harry was more connected to Voldemort that anyone knew, it didn't change how she felt about him. She loved Harry and wanted him to come back so she could find out what was going to happen with them.

Harry was lying in bed staring at the ceiling. Ever since that first time he had been sick, it happened a few more times. Snape never said anything, just handed him some water and a damp cloth before cleaning up. He was back to being naked, but Snape had left the robes on the bed for him to use when he needed to use the bathroom. But because he was so weak, either Snape washed him down or helped him have a bath. Not something Harry ever thought he would let anyone do, let alone Snape. He had to admit that soaking in a bath made him feel better and of course, a lot cleaner and got rid of all the old blood that he had all over him after the fighting.

Snape walked in with a tray and placed it on the bed then handed Harry a potion without saying anything.

Harry drank the potion the lifted the tray onto his lap, 'Um Snape,' Harry said softly.

'Potter.'

'Even though you really didn't need to do all this, thanks.'

'You're welcome. But since we are talking pleasantly, how are you feeling?'

'Better, not as sore as I was and the bleeding has stopped,' Harry glanced at his shoulder, 'You can already tell it will scar.'

'Yes it will, but after helping you over the last few days, I've seen a lot of scars on you, so one more shouldn't concern you.'

'Not really, things like scars never bothered me. I just don't like the one on my head because it gets attention and no matter what you say, I never wanted any of that, in fact I hate it. One thing I say to my friends, I want to be like everyone else, normal.'

'I know.'

'Then why were you always saying I relished in attention?'

'Potter, as you know from my memories, I cared about your mother. But your father made my life miserable, him and his friends. You happen to look like your father.'

'You talk about my father doing that to you, what about what you did to me. You made my life a living hell. I had enough shit going on and you just couldn't let up could you. I am not my father no matter how much I look like him. You should have seen me, not him.'

'Yes I should have and I admit I did give you a hard time because of your father. But he took my best friend, that's what I see when I look at you.'

'You said care before, you said best friend. Tell me once and for all Snape, did you love her, more than a friend I'm talking about?'

Snape sighed then sat in the chair in the corner, 'I used to think I was in love with her. But I realised I loved her probably how you love Miss Granger. I had a rotten childhood, Lily was the one good thing about that time. I wanted her with me always, she made me feel special, loved. Your father made me so angry because I knew he had feelings for Lily, then I destroyed that friendship. I blamed your father for that as well even if it was I that called your mother something I never believed.'

'Mudblood,' Harry said softly.

Snape nodded, 'Yes, I was embarrassed and lashed out. It took Lily a long time before she forgave me. We spoke a month before she died. She cried into my arms, begging me to help protect her son,' Snape lifted his head and stared into Lily's eyes, Harry's eyes and an understanding went between the two men.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter seven

'Eat your food, you need it,' Snape got up and walked towards the door before he turned back, 'I did it for her, since I couldn't save her, I wanted to save her son. Just so you know, I never hated you…Harry,' he left the room with Harry staring at the door.

Harry didn't know what to think or feel right now. Snape did love his mother, but not like he believed and he didn't hate him. Harry started eating, but something about the look Snape had given him kept invading his thoughts and he couldn't quite work it out. When Harry finished eating, Snape walked back in.

'Ready for the bathroom?'

'Yeah, thanks,' Harry threw the blankets off, but never bothered with the robe. He figured Snape had seen him anyway and he was helping. He saw Snape pick up the rob, 'Leave it, it's easier to leave them off.'

'You finally saw sense,' he dropped the robes then lifted Harry to his feet and helped him into the bathroom, then turned his head so Harry could do what he needed. When he finished, Harry washed his hands then Snape helped Harry back to bed.

'Is this a spare room?'

'No, it's my room.'

'Oh, so where are you sleeping?'

'In the living room.'

'Sorry, I didn't want you to give up your bed.'

'You needed to heal, better in a bed than on the sofa.'

'Well, I appreciate it. But if this is your bedroom, why is it so bare. There's not one personal item in here.'

'I keep those items in the living room. This room is only to sleep, not reflect.'

'Can I ask you something, about Voldemort?'

'You can ask.'

'Just before I killed him, I told him that you loved my mother and you were really Dumbledore's. He said you desired her, I used to feel that from him, feel lust. I know he never loved anyone, he couldn't. But what I want to know is, did things happen, you know, with sex?'

Snape stared at Harry for a minute, 'Yes, he believed everyone would benefit having sex. So he would take people for his death eaters to use.'

'You raped them?'

'I never participated, so no, I never raped anyone.'

'Didn't he make you?'

'He asked, I said sex did not interest me, that my life was for his service only. He seemed to like that, so he never asked me again. I just never told him the truth and luckily he never found out.'

Harry chewed on his lip, he wanted to ask, but he was also nervous to ask because he wasn't sure how Snape would take it.

'I can tell you are curious.'

'Well, yeah, you said something like that, of course I'm curious.'

'As you know, well, I can assume you know, Voldemort believed in purebloods even if he and most of us were halfblood, we just never let him know that. He also believed that all purebloods should have children with other purebloods. That was impossible, but you could never tell him that. With me, well, let's just say I could never see myself sleeping with a woman.'

'Are you gay?'

'Yes, if he found out, he would have killed me instantly. I was twelve when I realised I was gay and when I realised I loved your mother as my best friend, not a girl. She knew, we talked about it, she wanted me to find some nice man when I was older. She always wanted me to find someone. As I got older, I decided to stay helping Albus, which meant staying celibate, like Albus himself, well, like all the staff of Hogwarts.'

'Is that what you have to do if you teach, give up sex?'

'Yes, you dedicate your life to teaching, you live there and relationships are not permitted for staff members. You're young, so you probably can't understand that type of dedication.'

'I don't feel young,' Harry sighed, 'I feel as old as Dumbledore. He told me he was gay, that he had a partner before he became a teacher.'

'Yes, his partner died, that was when he decided to dedicate his life to teaching. But this is not something we should speak about, you are only seventeen, even if you feel older.

'I never had anyone to talk to about this. I wanted to speak to Sirius, but there wasn't time, something was always going on. I think I was only alone with him once.'

'Since you brought this up, you said you felt lust from him, did that cause you problems?'

Harry nodded, 'All the time and I never knew why. One time I was following Malfoy, trying to find out what he was up to. I felt it and it confused me. Next time Ginny was snogging me, felt it again, then I figured it was normal, now I'm not so sure.'

'So you got an erection with Draco and Miss Weasley. Why would you think it wasn't normal with Miss Weasley?'

'It happened when I never felt anything from him, but I wasn't with her.'

'Were you with anyone?'

Harry shook his head, 'No, just staring around the grounds at Hogwarts. I wasn't really looking at anything in particular, just trying to clear my head.'

'While you were looking around, where there students there?'

'Yeah, you know they were always out on the grounds.'

'Boys or girls?'

Harry lowered his head, 'Both, but more boys and I don't know what it means.'

Snape stared at Harry's lowered head, then sat on the end of the bed, 'Truth Harry, did you ever get an erection staring at the boys?'

'Yes,' Harry kept his head lowered, 'but I snogged Ginny, so I don't get it.'

'Did you ever get an erection with Miss Weasley, just from kissing her?'

Harry sighed, 'No, even when she did things. I wanted to talk to Dumbledore, ask him, then he died. I had no one left to talk to.'

'In my opinion, your gay, but don't take my word for it. Now the war is over, take some time and think it over.'

Harry lifted his head and stared at Snape, 'Thanks.'

'Anytime, now rest, but if you do want to talk about this, I'm happy to listen,' Snape got up and left the room. Harry sat there staring at the door and smiled. He thought at first that Snape would sneer or make some snide comment, but he never did and he was willing to listen if he wanted to talk, so Harry figured, since he was here, he might as well get a bit of education from someone that knows what their talking about.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter eight

A few days later, Snape told Harry to write to his friends again and explain how the home he was in was protected, so even owls could not find them place. So Harry did write to his friends, told them he was getting better, but still needed time and he still couldn't say who he was with.

Harry was able to stand and walk himself now, but Snape stayed next to him in case he felt weak. He was able to use the bathroom alone, which Harry was happy about. He was still a little weak, but he could tell he was mending.

Harry was sitting on the bed in Snape's robes when he walked in with a tray and placed it on the bed before handing Harry a potion, which he drank straight away.

'How do you feel today?'

'Better, not as weak as I was, just a little and the soreness is easing. I do appreciate your help Snape, I want you to know that.'

'I know, but you are welcome.'

'This house, it's not the same one you grew up in is it?'

'As a matter of fact it is, why do you ask?'

'Well, that memory, you knew my mother when you were kids. You spent time in a park, near that big tree. It must be near here somewhere and where she lived must be as well, so I was just curious.' Harry shrugged.

'The park is about a ten minute walk from here. The house your mother lived in as a child is about twenty minutes from here. I did go there once, followed her home to see where she lived. She didn't know, not for a long time, but eventually I told her. I could never keep anything from Lily.'

'Could you show me, before I leave I mean?'

Snape stared at Harry, 'If you wish, but do you mean the house or park?'

'Both, she looked so happy sitting there talking to you about magic and Hogwarts. How she was worried about the dementors and Azkaban, thinking she'd been arrested for using magic, how you made her feel better when you explained. I don't know anything about my parents, just a few things that Sirius and Remus told me. But we never got time to talk about anything personal, all conversations were about Voldemort or my safety.'

'Then I will show you both, but there was a small pond we sometimes would swim in on warm days, I can show you that as well. You're mother taught me how to swim, she was very good and told me how her and her sister had lessons.'

'Thanks, but about petunia, did you make that branch fall when you caught her spying? It looked like you did and I don't care if you did, she was a bitch.'

Snape sighed, 'Yes, I did, I never liked that girl, she had a spiteful air about her, even if I never meant to hurt her, I did want to scare her. But she was your aunt and your mother's sister, even if they are nothing alike, surely you cared about her?'

Harry shook his head, 'No, they treated me terribly, starved me, locked me up, sometimes for days, he'd hit me all the time. I was called you or boy the whole time I lived there, sometimes they called me freak. I was blamed for anything that went wrong, even when they knew it was Dudley. Him and his friends would beat me as well, but they said I deserved it,' Harry lifted his head, 'This was what I meant before, I had all that going on, then hear about Voldemort and you kept at me. There were times I felt like ending it, I couldn't take it anymore. Everyone thinks I'm so strong, but I'm not, I just couldn't show it. I wasn't going to let you or Voldemort see me weak, see me cry. I learned in that house that if I showed I was scared, I got less food, hit more, so I closed down.'

'Why didn't you tell Albus how they treated you?'

'There was no use, he explained I had to stay in that house for the protection my mother gave me. So I learned to live with that shit, then what you handed out and what Voldemort would do. I think that's why I was able to survive over this last few years. But last year, there were times the three of us had no food, freezing our arses off and had no idea what we were doing. Dumbledore never told me enough, I was barely trained and everyone was in hiding or dying and it was down to me to find a way to kill him.'

'If I heard about any of that, I might have eased up on you Harry. I can't say I would have, it was just when I looked at your face, I saw your father and remember what used to happen. I admit I knew you weren't like him, you're more like your mother than you're father. So when I take you to the park and house, I will tell you a few more things I remember about those times I spent with Lily.'

Harry looked up, 'Thanks, I would like that.'

'No eat, you still need it,' Snape got up and left the room as Harry started eating. Snape sat in his office and stared at the couple of pictures of Lily, one as a girl, one when she was a student, he also had one picture of both of them, 'You're son is turning out to be a very nice man Lily, I think you would be proud of him. But I did what I promised, I protected him, as much as I could that is. I did want to do more, but sometimes that was not possible, not if I had to make everyone believe I was hard and cold. That actually was the worst part of my life over the last twenty years, acting like that when it's not me at all. Even the clothes Lily, you know the type of clothes I liked, nothing like what I've been wearing. But you're son fulfilled the prophecy and we finally have a chance now, I just wish you were here to share it.'

Snape kept staring down at the pictures, Harry stood just outside the door and was staring through the small crack where the door never closed properly. Harry could see the sadness and remorse on Snape's face, and he heard what he said. Harry thought maybe Snape wasn't as bad as he thought and now the war is over, he might be able to find out. Harry turned and quietly went back to the bedroom, sat on the bed and finished eating why he thought over what he had heard and seen.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter nine

Harry was a lot better, even if he was still a little weak. So he walked around the house, only in the rooms where the doors were opened, he never went into any of the rooms where the doors were closed. The first time he had seen the living room, it surprised Harry. It was light and airy, coloured cushions on the sofa and nice curtains up at the window. Harry also saw a couple of pictures of his mother. Harry picked them up and stared into his mother's eyes, his eyes and wondered what she had been thinking about at the time. Harry had also found a library, he knew there would be potion books, but again Harry got surprised. He found lots of muggle novels, some Harry had heard of, others he didn't. One thing he found about Snape's home, it felt comfortable.

Snape stared at Harry as he stood near the window in the living room, 'Do you feel up for that walk, we can take it slow?' Harry turned and got surprised again, Snape was in blue jeans and a blue shirt, and his surprise must have shown, 'Is something wrong?'

'Sorry, I've never seen you in those type of clothes before, only ever black robes, there my type of clothes actually, jeans and a shirt.'

'Maybe one day I will explain why I was always in black robes. So about the park, do you think you could handle that walk?'

'Yeah, I think I'm okay. But what will I wear, you're robes,' Harry glanced down at the black robes he was wearing.

'No, I went and bought you some clothes actually. You couldn't put those things on you were wearing. How did they get in such a state?'

'You know, the usual, fights, running, hiding, escaping, almost dying, torture,' Harry shrugged, 'But if you let me know how much you spent, I'll make sure to get you the money for the clothes.'

'Let's not worry about that now, why don't you go change.'

Harry nodded and walked back into the bedroom where he found jeans, a shirt, socks, underwear and shoes. Harry was again surprised, the shoes were runners like he always wore, the underwear we're trendy tight boxer type shorts and the shirt was green, emerald green like his eyes. Harry also saw a comb sitting on the clothes, so he removed the robe, then dressed before staring at himself in the mirror and combed his hair before he joined Snape in the living room.

'Thanks, you have great taste in clothes.'

Snape turned, 'You look very nice, do you like the colour of the shirt?'

Harry chuckled, 'Yeah, mum's eyes. That's why Mrs. Weasley got me emerald green robes for the yule ball, she thought they would match my eyes.'

'Let's go then and we'll walk slowly, but if you need a break, tell me so you don't make yourself worse.'

'I will, but I'm sure I'll be fine.'

Harry followed Snape to the front door then out onto the street. He saw Snape glance around before pointing his wand at the door before they walked off. Harry looked around as they walked and realise this area didn't look very nice at all. Then he remembered the memory and the clothes Snape had worn as a kid and realised that Snape's parents must not have had much. They walked beside each other in silence until they came to the park.

'That's the tree,' Harry pointed and started walking, but his footsteps were quick until he was almost running and stopped as he stared at the spot he remembered his mother had lay down next to Snape why they talked. Harry knelt down and put his hand to the grass before sitting down, but he kept staring at the grass, 'She looked so happy that day.'

Snape stared down at Harry, 'She was always happy here. She told me she could be herself with me. Petunia kept calling her a freak, always made her feel bad that Lily was a witch and she wasn't. Lily knew she could talk to me here, about anything.'

'Did Petunia really send a letter to Dumbledore asking to be allowed to go to Hogwarts?'

'Yes, Lily showed me Albus' reply.'

'She blamed me you know,' Harry sighed as he lay back on the grass, in the exactly spot his mother had.

'Blamed you for what?' Severus sat on the grass beside Harry, exactly how he had sat at times when Lily would lay here.

'For her dying, Petunia said it was my fault her sister died. There I was, this kid, I had no idea who I was, how they died, or who my parents were and she tells me I caused my mother's death.'

'I caused your mother's death,' Snape sighed, 'I tried to rectify that, but even Albus couldn't save her, save them.'

Harry turned his head and stared at Snape, 'You did try, you warned him. But you and I both know what Voldemort was like. He didn't care who it was or how it was protected, he was going to get into that house to kill me. Do you know he gave my mother a chance to live?'

'What?' Snape's head snapped up, 'No, I did not.'

'When the dementors got near me, I heard it all, everything that happened that night. He told her to move, that she could live, she refused and kept begging him not to kill me, then she told him to kill her, not me,' Harry sighed as he turned his head back to stare up at the leaves on the tree. 'When you came home on holidays, did you keep coming here?'

'Always, usually I was here first and I'd sit here to wait for her. She would come from that direction,' Severus pointed, 'I would see her red hair and the moment she saw me, she would run until her hair was a mess and all over the place.'

Harry gave a small laugh, 'When you were here together, before you realised you loved her like a sister and you were gay, did you ever kiss her?'

Severus stared down at Harry as he turned to look at him, 'Yes, Lily asked me too actually. I was the shy one, not Lily, she said what she wanted,' Severus lay down, just like he used to and stared up at the leaves in the tree, 'I was like this, she was where you were and she leaned over me and said Sev, kiss me, we were twelve years old and after that kiss is when I realised I was gay.'

Harry leant up on his elbow and stared down at Snape, their eyes met and they both felt it, something passed between them. Harry moved until he was lying down and stared up at the leaves again and started to think about that look and why he felt a jolt go through him at the intense look those dark eyes gave him. That jolt went right to his groin, but he also felt his whole body stir, like it had done before but never this strong and those feelings were so strong that he sense every little movement from the man who was lying next to him, a man he always thought he hated, a man who had looked after him these last few days, a man Harry now realised he never knew at all.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter ten

Harry had no idea what to do or say and even though he hated lie, he needed to be alone to think.

'Um, I think this has been a bit much, can we go back now?' Harry heard the nervous quiver in his voice and he was sure Snape did too.

'I think it might be best, you can see the house another time,' Snape stood up and took Harry's hand and gently pulled him to his feet and their eyes met again, before Snape turned and walked off.

Harry watched Snape's back for a minute, then his eyes drifted down and realised what he was doing.

'Oh shit, I'm checking out his rear end,' Harry sighed then slowly started walking, but he kept a bit a distance between him and Snape. When they got to the house, Snape opened the door then let Harry walk in before he closed the door. By the time he reset his wards and turned around, Harry was gone. So Snape went straight into his office to think about what was going on between him and Potter.

Harry sat on the bed and stared out the window, then he lay down, but with his head at the bottom so he couldn't see the door. He put his hands under his head and stared at the ceiling.

For the rest of the day, Harry never saw Snape and he never left the bedroom apart from using the bathroom. He was hungry, but he didn't want to face Snape.

'Dinner is ready,' Snape said from the door.

Harry swung his legs off the bed and stared at Snape, he nodded and got up. By the time he got to the door, Snape was still standing there and Harry had no idea where it came from, or how he found the courage, but he leant in and kissed Snape on the lips. Then he quickly turned away and walked back to the window. What have I done, he thought, what would Snape do, what would he say. He kept staring out the window when he saw the reflection of Snape move behind him and he instantly tensed.

'Harry,' Severus said quietly.

'This can't be happening, it's ridiculous.'

'Harry, listen to me for a minute.'

Harry whirled around, 'No, you listen, I'm a fucked up mess Snape, I have no idea what I'm doing, what I'm even saying, what I'm thinking, but…' Harry hesitated then turned back, 'I don't know what to do.'

Severus sighed then took a couple more steps until he was right up against Harry, then slipped his arms around him and pulled him tight to his stomach.

'You don't know what to do about what is happening between us, because something is happening Harry, we both felt it.'

Harry lowered his head and saw Snape's hands holding him, then his own hands came up and held his and he realised how soft Snape's hands were, then put his head back against Snape's chest.

'Yeah, something, but how can this work, you and me, we hated each other for years. I still see you as my teacher, a man that is the same age as my parents, but a man I want.'

Snape slowly made Harry turn and stared into his eyes, 'The same man that wants you but also sees you as the son of his childhood love,' Severus reached up and gently touched Harry's face, 'This Harry, this is up to us if it will work. With anything, you have to put in the effort, do you want to put the effort it or run away?'

Harry thought he heard a challenge and instantly he wanted to rebel, 'I don't run away, I'm not the type to run. But what will people say, how can I tell my friends that I have feelings for you?'

'For now, don't. Let's keep this between us and see what happens. You have to think of this as well. When Hogwarts is rebuilt, if I'm lucky, I might be back teaching, you might be back doing your last year, which you should do by the way.'

Harry kept staring into the dark gorgeous eyes of Snape, 'I want to anyway, if I can that is, I still want to be an auror. It's the only thing I want to do and it's something I think I'll be good at. But what if this does work, how will it when you live at Hogwarts. We'll never see each other.'

'I have my ways Harry, Albus and I had something worked out so I could instantly leave Hogwarts when I felt my mark burn. He knew I would have to go to him. But where would you be for us to see each other, it can't be with the Weasley's.'

'I'm planning on getting my own place. The moment I survived and he was dead, it just came to me that I could have a life now and a home, my own home. No more Dursleys, no more staying places with protection around me. With Mrs. Weasley, I love her to bits, but she does tend to treat all of us as kids. I feel older than her, than you. So since you said this is up to us, does that mean you feel something for me?'

'Yes, I have for a while and tried to deny it. I think that is another reason I had a go at you so often,' Severus' hand kept moving over Harry's check then he ran his thumb over Harry's lips, then smiled when they parted, 'This is going to be very interesting, don't you think.'

Harry's body was heating up by Snape's touch, but he couldn't help smiling at what he had said.

'Oh I think this is going to be more than interesting. We both don't hold back with what we want to say. We're both men that take the lead,' Harry reached a hand out and put it to Snape's chest, then slipped a finger through the small gap between the buttons and felt hair, Snape's hairy chest and started to think about his body, how he would look naked and he let out a small groan of longing and again, he felt his body stir as his cock twitched. He heard a very soft chuckle and looked up to see Snape smirking at him and realised Snape knew how Harry was feeling. Then their lips were joined, their tongues dancing around the other, their hands were everywhere and their bodies pressed as close together as you could get. Harry could feel the bulge in Snape's pants and he knew Snape could feel his own and Harry wondered when that next bit would happen, sex, sex for the first time in his life and sex with this man who was snogging him and those thoughts made Harry groan against Snape's lips.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter eleven

When their lips parted they were both panting heavily as their eyes stayed locked on the other, then Snape took a step back.

'Not yet, you're still healing and doing what we both want will make you worse.'

Harry groaned in frustration, 'Why did I know you were going to say that. You get me so fucking hot, then stop, that's just mean and sadistic.'

'I'm feeling the exact same thing here Harry, so I'm just as frustrated as you. So don't start having a go at me when stopping this is the right thing to do because I am thinking of you.'

Harry heard the edge to Snape's voice, but he wasn't really angry at Harry, he was more frustrated, just like Harry was.

'Sorry, but I'm hard as a rock here Snape and I'm frustrated,' Harry sighed as he sat down on the bed, 'Do you know this is the first time that's happened?'

Severus sat beside Harry, 'What are you talking about?'

Harry slowly lifted his head, 'It's the first time I've had an erection, a proper one I mean. The others were just a bit of movement,' Harry closed his eyes as he rubbed his hand over the bulge in his jeans, 'It's bloody uncomfortable.'

'That is something I can help with and it will not harm your healing in any way. If you want me to that is?'

'I don't get what you mean, are you talking about a potion or something?'

'You really are naive about sex aren't you my young Mr. Potter. Let me show you what I am talking about,' Severus gave a wicked smile, then pushed Harry back before he undid his jeans, then he reached a hand inside Harry's pants and pulled out a rock hard cock that was seeping from the slit. He grinned as he heard Harry's loud groan as his hand wrapped around Harry's member and started to slowly move.

Harry panted heavily and tried to stay quiet but nothing worked. He lifted his head and saw Snape's hand on him but he also saw Snape's eyes staring at him. Then Harry saw a look on Snape's face and wondered what it meant until his old teacher's head slowly lowered and his mouth slid down over Harry's cock.

'Oh god,' he groaned loudly and felt it, knew this was going to be over too quick, but right then Harry didn't care. What he was feeling he never felt before and couldn't believe how good it did feel, how good Snape's mouth felt, Snape's mouth on his cock, sucking him. He groaned again as he felt it, felt it building, then he was coming, shooting his seed down Snape's throat and he never stopped until he finished. He lay there panting with his eyes closed until he felt a finger run over his lips. Harry opened his eyes and stared into the dark pools of Snape's eyes, 'I…I,' Harry shook his head then closed his eyes again.

'Look at me Harry,' Snape realised Harry was embarrassed, so he leant down and kissed him, 'Open those lids so I can see those beautiful green eyes.'

Harry slowly opened his eyes, 'I've never felt anything like that, I had no control and I hate not being in control.'

'You needed to release, I helped you do that and I have to admit that it is something I've thought of doing for a long time now.'

'You wanted to do that to me?'

'Yes, I even fantasized about doing that when you were sitting in my class.'

Harry's mouth twitched until he was smiling, then he moved until he was leaning over Snape and staring down into his eyes.

'That is something I never expected to hear, but I hope you're going to let me do the same to you since you said we can't have sex.'

'You need to heal, so heal, I'm fine. I learned to control myself a long time ago, you're young, you don't have control yet.'

'Oh don't start that shit again Snape and you're just as turned on as I am. Sucking you will not hurt me or stop me healing,' Harry kept staring into his eyes as his hand went down to his button then snapped it open before lowering the zipper, 'Remember Snape, we're both men that do what we want and nothing will stop us,' Harry slid his hand down into Snape's pants and pulled his cock out, 'Damn, you're big, who knew under all those robes you'd have a monstrous cock,' Harry chuckled, then moved down and started to lick up the sides of Snape's cock, 'I'll never get this in my mouth or I'll choke trying,' Harry laughed, then slowly lowered his mouth over the hard long, thick cock of Severus Snape. He grinned but never stopped sucking as he heard Snape groan. He was sucking for a while before he forced more into his throat until he finally had Snape's full length inside his mouth. Harry felt Snape's hand on the back of his head then his fingers tangled in Harry's hair before he was shooting his juices down Harry's throat. Harry never stopped until Snape had finished, then moved up and put his head on Snape's chest, 'I knew I was stubborn and I was determined to get all of you in and I did.'

Snape looked down at Harry's head resting on his chest, 'You certainly did Mr. Potter. That's one thing I admired about you. When you said you were going to do something, you did it. It might not have turned out exactly how you wanted it, but that never stopped you.'

'Nothing will stop me doing what needs to be done or what is right, that's just me,' Harry lifted his head, 'Why didn't Dumbledore tell me about being a horcrux?'

'He never told me that Harry, but I knew why. You're life, what you had already been through. He didn't want you to hear something so disturbing, that you had to die in the end. He didn't want you to go through anything else and he wasn't sure how you would take it, hearing that.'

'Did he think I wouldn't do it if I heard that?'

'No, that is one thing we both knew about you. If you had to die to rid him from this world, you would do it. I would just like to know how you survived, which I am pleased you did.'

'I saw Dumbledore that night, after Voldemort hit me with the killing curse. He told me that the curse destroyed the horcrux, but never killed me, it basically saved me. We were walking, I asked if I was dead because I'm there standing talking to a dead man. He said he didn't think so, but I could go on. I was going to,' Harry put his head back down on Snape's chest so he could feel him, hear his heart beating beneath his chest, but Harry was thinking about that night, about what Dumbledore said and he still felt he should have gone on.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter twelve

'You were in the afterlife, Albus was waiting there for you. Damn that man, he had this planned and never told either of us.'

Harry lifted his head, 'What are you talking about?'

'He knew you would survive and never told you, he never told me. I was just supposed to tell you that you had to die,' Severus sighed then ran his hand down Harry's hair, 'Albus knew I had feelings for you, he confronted me about it. He told me to make sure I never let anyone know, especially you, I had to keep those feelings deep down so Voldemort would never find out. I knew the danger, I had to keep him from entering my mind. But to not tell me you would survive, I just can't believe that man. I had a feeling Voldemort would kill me, not why or when, just that he would. So I had those potions on me so I would be prepared in case I needed to help you,' Severus moved so Harry was lying down and he was leaning over him, 'I promised Albus to make sure you found what you needed to go to him at the right time. We did know you would do it, but what we didn't know was how long it might take you after hearing you had to die. We weren't sure if you might have suffered in any way from hearing that. So even though I was going to follow you after, I had to stay alive long enough to make sure you went to him.'

Harry stared at Snape in stunned silence and realised something, 'You were going to die because I had to?'

'Damn it Harry, I wasn't going to live if you didn't. I swore to your mother I would protect you and I did, but I knew I couldn't go on without you here. I wasn't thinking about whether we would be together, that never entered my mind because I figured you would end up with Miss Weasley again. I just didn't want to be here if you weren't. You've been part of my life for so long even if you never realised it.'

'Oh blimey Sev,' Harry put his hands to his face, 'I know why I wanted to die, my life was fucked up anyway, I didn't want to keep going on like that. But you could have finally had a normal life, no more being summoned by him, no more pretending to be a death eater.'

'I was a death eater Harry.'

'You stopped being a death eater when I was a baby, you did the right thing Sev. I hope you don't mind me calling you that especially since we did just blow each other.'

Snape burst out laughing, 'The things you say Potter,' he shook his head, 'No, I don't mind Harry, it sounds nice actually.'

'Good, but you know what Sev.'

Snape grinned, 'What Harry.'

'I can see us reverting back to Snape and Potter when we're pissed at each other. Or you might even revert back to calling me arrogant or lazy and I might revert back to calling you a greasy haired git. Which it isn't by the way,' Harry ran his fingers through Snape's hair, 'It's soft and feels nice.'

'I know what all you kids used to say about me. But as for what you said, yes, we probably will. But it's time to eat and time for your potions. I did mention dinner being ready, I just hope it's not ruined now.'

'Maybe it is, but you can't say it wasn't worth it. We both got each other off.'

Snape chuckled, 'Blow and got each other off, you have a way with words and you definitely say what you want,' Snape got up and grabbed Harry's hand pulling him off the bed, but into his arms, 'But we can get each other off again and as many times as we want.' Severus fixed his clothing.

'Is that a promise Professor,' Harry tried not to grin then burst out laughing, 'Sorry, I won't say that again unless we do end up back at Hogwarts. Oh just imagine Sev,' Harry sighed as he also fixed his clothing.

'Imagine what Harry,' Snape said through gritted teeth at hearing Harry call him professor.

'Don't get pissed Sev, I was just having some fun. Now what I meant was imagine we're sitting in that classroom, our eyes catch each other. I know I'm going to be thinking about doing you right on your desk,' Harry grinned but saw Snape looked away, 'You've thought about that, haven't you?'

'Yes, but let's forget about all this and go eat. And if you ever call me professor again and we are not in class, then I might start reverting back to my old self.'

'Oh,' Harry grinned, 'does that mean I would get punished.'

'Oh you are pushing me Potter.'

'Yeah, but isn't it fun Snape,' Harry went up on his toes and kissed him, 'We can't be serious all the time, especially now the war is over.'

'Fine, we can have some fun, but no more about teacher and student or punishments, you make me feel old, I'm only thirty eight.'

'And look sexy as any man could, now let's go eat food before I decide it's time to eat each other again.'

Snape shook his head as he laughed, 'Yes, eat food, that will help you heal Harry which means when you do, I get to fuck your ass so hard you might think twice about winding me up again.'

'Ouch,' Harry chuckled, 'The size of you Sev, I'm in for some pain. But you know what,' Harry ran his finger of Snape's lips, 'That's pain I'm hanging to feel.'

'It will be…uncomfortable, but you talk about my size Harry. For a small and young man, you do have a damn good sized cock. Now no more sex talk, let's eat.'

'Am I turning you on again?'

'Enough Harry,' Snape went to move but Harry tightened his arms around him.

'Alright, I'll stop, but I like seeing this side of you Sev, it's so different from the Severus Snape I've seen for years. It's good to see you're softer and funny side. Something none of us knew you had.'

'One day I will explain about that, now let's eat or dinner will be ruined,' Snape kissed Harry again then they both left the bedroom and headed for the dining room. Where Snape put the food on the table then they started eating, but still they couldn't look away from the other.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter thirteen

Harry talked Snape into sleeping next to him in the bed even if nothing more than a bit of sucking and touching went on between them. So for the next few days while Harry healed and took more potions that Snape kept supplied for him, they got to know each other a lot more.

Harry was standing in the living room staring out the window at the street beyond when Snape slipped his arms around him.

'You're healed enough to travel.'

'I don't want to go,' Harry turned, 'I like being here with you.'

'We both have a lot of explaining to do, but we can see each other. Leaving doesn't mean we won't be able to spend time together.'

'Can you give me a couple more days?'

'I can if that's what you want, but we will be together, never fear young Potter.'

Harry grinned, 'I know we will, but I thought since I'm okay now, I'll go find my own place. That way either I can come here or you can come visit me and think of it, I won't have to give Mrs. Weasley any excuses for wanting to leave all the time, because she will ask.'

'She has to learn that you are no longer a child Harry.'

'She still see's Bill and Charlie as kids Sev. So can I, stay until I find my own place, you can help me look?'

'You can stay until you find a place, but we can't be seen Harry, or should I say, I can't be until I go speak with Minerva and the new minister.'

'I'm going with you when you do talk to Kingsley, he's a friend Sev, he'll believe me.'

'You don't need to Harry, this is my explanation. The students were hurt and I allowed that to happen. I stopped anyone going too far, but they were still tortured.'

'I know, I spoke to Neville and Seamus, they told me what was going on when I was gone. But once Kingsley knows the truth, everything will be okay, but he will believe me more than you. You played your part of a spy so well, no one knew you were truly loyal to Dumbledore. Please Sev, let me go with you, then you can explain, but I'll be there in case it's needed.'

Severus stared down at Harry, 'Alright, you can come with me, but we can't show our feelings Harry, we can show we're friends though.'

'Good, so how will you come with me to find a house if you don't want to be seen?'

'Are you forgetting who you are talking to Potter, Severus Snape, the great potions master?'

Harry chuckled, 'Oh I did forget that, especially after seeing your gorgeous naked body that you have kept hidden all these years. So Sev, you've got some polyjuice potion around here?'

'Yes and samples of muggle hair to use when I need it, I keep a small flask filled with that just in case.'

'Then go look like some muggle and help me find a home, one we can fuck each other silly in.'

'Yes, we can and hardly use the bedroom. Remember to buy a desk Harry,' Severus smirked then walked away to Harry's laughter.

'Oh I plan to Professor Snape,' Harry said quietly.

After a few minutes, Harry stared at the old man that walked out to join him, 'So young Mr. Potter, let's go house shopping.'

'I need to go into Gringotts and I have no idea how those blasted goblins will take me walking in there, not after destroying half the building on the back of a dragon.'

'That is one story you have to explain to me. But we do not need to go into Gringotts if you buy from a magical real estate. They can transfer the money from your vault to them. You're parents left you enough for that, well that and more from what Lily told me.'

'Yeah, they left me plenty, but I also have the Black vault. I have no idea how much is in that, but Remus did say they were loaded.'

'So my young lover is rich, you can look after me when I do look like this.'

Harry laughed, 'When you look like this for real, you'll still be terrorising students at Hogwarts.'

'Hopefully I will, now let's go, try and keep your head down though. You killed Voldemort, you are now the saviour of the wizarding world, so expect a lot of attention, which I'm sure you'll just love.'

Harry scowled, 'Cut that out Snape, now what is this saviour business about?'

'I wanted to wait until you were healed. But that is now you're new name Harry. You, Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley are also known as the golden trio.'

'Oh shit, can I use a disguise and buy under another name?'

'You can look why being disguised, but to buy, no, they will need you and your blood to prove it is you so your money will transfer.'

'I've lost enough blood, I don't need to lose anymore.'

'It's only a small amount that a quill is dipped in when you sign. You still have a lot to learn about our world Harry.'

'Well think Sev, I haven't had time to learn anything really, it's a wonder I was able to learn my spells and charms at Hogwarts with everything that was going on.'

'That's true and why you are hopeless at potions.'

'I did great when you weren't teaching,' Harry smirked, 'But I did have some help, a bit unfair really, but I say, use what you can to give you an advantage and I did.'

'What happened to my old book?'

'Burned up in the room of requirement, that's where I hid it that day I cursed Malfoy. But stupid fat Crabbe send fiend fyre on us, then he couldn't control it.'

'The Carrows were teaching all those types of dark magic, but Mr. Crabbe was hopeless at any spells, even simple spells first years learn.'

'I know, that's why he died in there. Even though I hate the fact people died, he brought it on himself and put his friends in danger, not to mention me, Ron and Hermione. But we rescued Malfoy and Goyle, got them out on the back of our brooms before the whole room went up. Anyway, can you get me some polyjuice potion and please make me a man, not a woman.'

Snape pulled another flask out and handed it to Harry, 'Do you really think I would make you a woman Harry. As you put it, we've been blowing each other, so of course I want to see a man, not a woman.'

'Good,' Harry took the potion then waited till the change finished and found he was taller, 'So how do I look?'

'Well, old, like me, now let's go, don't forget to take more when you feel it wearing off.'

'Yep, I know what that feels like.' Harry and Snape kissed each other then left the house in Spinners End and headed to Godric's Hollow. Even though Harry never said where he wanted to live, Severus knew it would be where his parents had lived.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter fourteen

It took three days before Harry found a house he liked in Godric's Hollow. So he waited until his polyjuice potion wore off and shocked the man who had been showing him the house when he got to see who the old man really was. But Harry explained how he wanted some privacy why he was looking for his home. He cut his finger, dipped the quill into his blood, signed the formes and watched as the deed of the house glowed brightly making the transaction complete. Then Harry stayed with Severus for the next couple of days why they went shopping for furniture. As they were looking around at sofa, Severus, still as the old man and Harry as the other old man, he showed Harry a large desk which of course made them both laugh. Severus help Harry put all his furniture where he wanted, filled the kitchen with food, put all the bathroom products away, made the couple of beds, one Harry's, the other for the spare room then hung the curtains. But why they were out, Harry also bought a heap of clothes, everything he needed, including shoes. But he bought Severus some jeans that hugged his arse and a few tops that also showed that Severus was really built.

Harry stared around at his house before he looked at Severus, 'It's starting to look like a home Sev.'

'It is, you just need to add a few personal touches to it.'

'I've got time now to do that. Now I want to ask you something,' Harry stepped over to Severus, 'After I explain to the Weasley's that I'm fine and also have my own home, will you stay here tonight. You said I'm fully healed and we both have been very patient, but I want us to make love.'

Snape smiled, 'I'll be here Harry, but I will apparate and not use the floo in case your friends decide to come see your home. If I see them, I'll sneak in the other door and wait for you in the bedroom.'

'They will want to come with me, but I can get them to leave early enough. I'm still getting over all the injuries I had, I need rest,' Harry grinned.

'I knew you could be sneaky Mr. Potter. But I should go and finish my letter to Minerva and the minister. I'll be sending them an owl to work on sitting down with both of them to explain.'

'I had a thought about that Sev, because I need to explain some things to them too, as well as the Weasley's. Why don't we do it all at the same time?'

'Well, I suppose we could help each other explain since you and I are the only two alive that knows everything. Alright, I'll suggest that in my letter, explaining that I have spoken to you and we both agreed it would be better to tell everyone at once. So I'll be back later,' Severus kept staring into Harry's eyes before he slowly lowered his head to capture Harry's lips with his own.

A couple of hours later Harry stood staring at the large crooked house and smiled. Even though he loved it, he knew he could never stay there anymore and he couldn't be treated like a kid anymore. Hopefully when Mrs. Weasley sees his new look, good clothes, styled hair and trendy glasses, she might realise he wasn't a kid. So Harry took a deep breath and stepped into the kitchen of the Burrow where every Weasley and Hermione was sitting eating lunch.

'Hey,' Harry smiled then braced himself as Hermione launched at him, 'I'm fine Hermione, took a bit of healing, but I'm good now.'

'Where were you, we've been so worried.'

'He still doesn't want anyone to know, but everyone will soon. I just came from my house, been furnishing it, just finished.' Harry's eyes went to Mrs. Weasley before back to his friends, 'I'll have to get both to come back with me, have a look and yes Hermione, it's in Godric's Hollow. I knew you'd ask.'

'We expected you to stay here Harry, had your old bed ready for you,' Molly said.

'Well I only bought the house a few days ago, but I love being by myself, first time in years I've had time alone. Anyway, what's been going on?'

'Well you missed the funerals, it's been more than two weeks, there almost finished. Kingsley thought they should get them done quickly.'

'Why?'

'He thinks it will help people move on faster if they were finished. They buried Remus and Tonks at Godric's Hollow, that was five days ago,' Ron said.

'I'll have to visit when I go see my parents again. But what about the ministry, has Kingsley got everyone out of there?'

'He said it's going slowly, his main supporters left when they heard he was dead. The other supporters are all saying they were forced, so it's going to take time,' Arthur said.

'Yeah, I suppose it will, as long as they got that bitch Umbridge.'

'Yes, Kingsley told us straight away about her being locked up. He thought we deserved to know,' Hermione said as she pulled Harry towards the table and sat down, 'So you also got new clothes and glasses.'

'Yep, did a heap of shopping, thought it was time now I can.'

'Sorry to interrupt Arthur,' Kingsley stepped in with two aurors and he stared at Harry, 'So finally back and I think it's a coincidence that I received a letter from Snape when you finally make it back.'

Harry stood up, 'Okay, yes, I was with Snape. I found him in the shrieking shake, alive but badly hurt. He had potions with him, I waited with him until he stopped bleeding, that's when I passed out and he took me to his place.'

'Did he say why he never took you straight into the castle to see Poppy?'

'Yes, he wasn't ready to answer questions. He needed to heal fully as well before he did that. So we've been doing a lot of talking, getting to know each other and he's been telling me about my mother. So this letter is about getting everyone together so we can explain?'

'So he told you.'

'Yep, I suggested we do it together and with everyone in one place so we don't have to tell our stories twice. You don't sound happy Kingsley, why?'

'Not only were you missing, we had no idea if those letters were really from you or if you were being forced. So what did you expect Harry, I was worried about you.'

'Sorry, but if I was being forced I would have made sure Hermione picked up on something, she knows me more than I wish she did,' Harry gave Hermione a smile to know he wasn't serious, but he noticed Ron looks stunned at the news he'd been with Severus, but so was everyone else. Harry wondered how they would take the news that they were lovers, well about to be lovers, but close enough as far as Harry was concerned.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter fifteen

'Snape, and you were fine with staying with that git?' Ron asked.

'He's really not like that Ron, but it'll all be explained,' Harry turned back to Kingsley, 'So when are you setting up that meeting?'

'Straight away, then Snape will be arrested and face charges over what he allowed to happen at Hogwarts.'

'You can't arrest him and you'll realise that when you hear what he has to say. You need to put everything you think you know about him aside and hear it all. I already told him I'd be with him when he saw you so you would listen to him. First though, about Dumbledore.'

'We know Albus planned that with Snape.'

'How?' Harry asked looking puzzled.

'The memory he gave you. Minerva and I watched it to find out what was going on. You don't have to look so worried Harry. I never put that part about you in the statement. Hermione and Ron said you wouldn't want anyone to know.'

'No, I don't,' Harry said stiffly, 'But how did you know about that memory?'

'We told him Harry, we were all worried and Kingsley needed to know why things happened.' Hermione said but could see Harry's anger rise, 'Don't start Harry, you never told us we couldn't mention the memory.'

'That was personal Hermione, not just about me but about Severus, I would have shown part of it, not all. No one needed to see all of that.'

'Severus, you said his name, not Snape, why?' Kingsley asked.

'What's that got to do with anything, we became friends if you need to know. Blimey, I feel like I'm being questioned or something. I might just go home and let you do what you want Kingsley, I don't need this, neither does…Severus, or how I like to call him, Sev, like what my mother called him,' Harry turned and went to the door when Severus stepped inside, 'What are you doing here?'

'I had a feeling things were going to start straight away. So I figured let's get it all out in the open now Harry. No more secrets, no more hiding the truth.'

'You mean everything?'

'Yes, everything, we've got a chance at a normal safe life now, so let's take it why we can, what do you say.'

Harry grinned, then slipped his arms around Severus and kissed him, 'I say yes babe. And you can just hear the shocked silence from everyone behind us.'

'You can also see it love, which is going to make this interesting.' Severus grinned down at Harry.

'So this so called healing you needed was a lie?' Kingsley asked stiffly.

Harry kept his arms around Severus before facing Kingsley, 'No, I was in a bad way, Sev looked after me. I was fine more than a week ago, but I didn't want to leave.'

'Don't you think Harry's a bit young Snape?'

'Not really, it's what we both want, that's all that matters, not age. Harry loves me, I love him, so we're together and no one is going to try and stop us being together.'

'Not so fast Snape, you still need to explain why you allowed students to be hurt?'

'I will explain it all when we have everyone together, I said that in my letter. Organise it, then let us know. I'll be at Harry's for the next few days.'

Harry tightened his arm, 'Good, but I still wish you'd live with me.'

'I have my own house love, we can use both, I told you that.'

'Blimey you're stubborn,' Harry grinned then looked back at his friends, 'So do you two want to come back to my place with us?'

'I don't think so Harry,' Ron said.

'Why, is it because I'm gay and you don't like gay men or is it because I'm with Sev?'

'First, how in the name of merlin are you gay when you snogged Ginny, a lot?' Ron shouted.

'Well think of it Ron, I had Voldemort in my blasted head all the time, I could never tell if my thoughts were mine or his, or my feelings. Sev explained a few things to me then I sat and thought about those times. When I snogged your sister Voldemort was fucking woman at the same time, I felt it, I felt everything. Why do you think I wouldn't tell you what I used to see and feel. So those times were all him, not me, I finally got a chance to feel my own feelings have my own thoughts, not blasted Voldemorts.'

'Easy love, don't get upset, you're still not a hundred percent yet.'

'He gets upset when I snogged his sister now he's upset I won't be snogging her, I can't win with him. If he gets pissed off enough he leaves, I don't need that, not anymore.'

'I think you do need to calm down Harry, we're all shocked here,' Arthur said calmly.

'I'll calm down at home, come on Sev, let's go home and go to bed, at least that's fun,' Harry and Severus left before anyone else said another word.

'He's with that git, I can't believe it.'

'He made sense though Ron, he used to feel Voldemort all the time. Why do you think he got angry so often, it was all to do with him not Harry,' Hermione said calmly.

'Fine, he was always gay and never figured it out, but Snape, the greasy haired git that treated all of us like shit, including Harry. I think Voldemort affected Harry's brain, because he's nuts to want anything to do with Snape.'

'Let's just wait until we sit down and hear everything, but I'm with you Ron. How can Harry and Snape be together, they hated each other?' Kingsley said, 'Anyway, I'll set the meeting for the day after and I did want to ask Arthur if you would mind it being here. I don't think we would all fit in Minerva's office.'

'Of course you can Kingsley. So apart from you and Minerva, Snape and Harry, who else will be here?'

'Snape wrote that Neville and Aberforth should be present as well. So I better get back to work and get ready to find out what is going on. I'll see you the day after.'

'We'll be here Kingsley,' Arthur said then looked around at his family and noticed Ginny staring at the table. She probably hoped to get back with Harry and he should have told her privately and not how he did. So Arthur could expect Ginny to be in a very bad mood, he just hoped he could stop his daughter hexing anyone, Harry and Snape being the two she would hex.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter sixteen

Harry and Severus were lying in Harry's bed snogging hungrily, their hands were all over each other, but mostly holding each other's cocks. Severus explained that he had never made love before, so they were both new at this, but they also liked the idea they would make love to each other the first time. Their fingers went into each other, they enjoyed feeling that, even if it was a little uncomfortable but they needed to before they could finally enter each other. Severus kept his fingers moving inside Harry but not once did he's lips leave his young lover, whether it was on Harry's lips, neck, chest or another part of his body. When he knew Harry was a ready Severus coated himself then slowly and gently entered him.

After a couple of hours, Harry was draped across Severus' broad chest and they were both extremely satisfied.

'Tell me how you're feeling?' Severus asked as his hand brushed down Harry's hair.

'Tender, but good, really good, what about you?'

'The same, tender but good, now we've started though, we can really get our imagination working. Now tell me love, why were you so angry earlier, you haven't been once, not really, not since we finally started to tell each other everything.'

'It was just what Kingsley was saying and how he was saying it, like I was being questioned. I know he's an auror and it's his job, but it pissed me off. You know he's planning on arresting you, but I told him he can't and once he hears everything, he'll realise that.'

'He should, but I also had an idea about that, I'll explain soon though. But Miss Weasley did not look happy when she found out about us.'

'I never took a lot of notice of Ginny, I was concentrating on Kingsley and Ron. You know she's got a bit of a temper, maybe one of us will be hexed when she sees us.'

'I know what her temper is like, but I'm concerned about what she might say. You know her more than I do, would she lie to hurt you or me?'

Harry lifted his head, then sat up, 'I know Ginny has lied when it was needed and she's very good, you wouldn't tell she is. I know she liked me and she was hurt when I broke up with her, but that was right after Dumbledore died. It's been ten months since then, so I don't know.'

'If her feelings for you were strong and she's hurt over us, she might lie and lash out. So the idea I have might help with that as well, but that will be just for Kingsley and Minerva, no one else. Looking at her before though, yes she's hurt and at first she did look angry, so it's hard to say how she will react now she's had time to digest the fact we are together. But let's get some lunch and I'll explain my idea.'

'Yeah, I am a bit hungry, so you're on. But let's not bother getting dressed, because I thought we could go skinny dipping, it's warm enough.'

'Don't you think we should wear robes at least why we're eating Harry, you did buy both of us one to keep here. Your friends might turn up and I don't think they would appreciate seeing two cocks hanging out for all to see.'

Harry chuckled, 'No, it'd be funny though, but I didn't give them the address, I suppose it wouldn't be too hard to find out. Alright, robes only then, until we head out to the pool.'

Harry and Severus put their robes on then Harry made a simple but filling lunch. They sat together talking about how everything will take both their news, then Severus explained his idea, which Harry thought was perfect and help with the proof. After eating, they cleaned up and headed outside, took their robes off and dived into the pool. Neither of them could help themselves and ended up making love again in the pool before climbing out, but stayed naked as went over to the sun beds. Harry lay down, then Snape rubbed some lotion all over him to stop him burning, then Severus lay down, but Harry sat on his backside why he rubbed lotion into him.

'Oh blimey, not something I want to see. Do you think you could both put something on?' Kingsley asked as he stepped into the back garden and quickly turned his back.

'Sure, we can do that,' Harry unashamedly stood up and pulled his robe on, then Severus did the same thing as Harry handed him his robe, 'So what's up Kingsley, unless you want me to call you minister?'

'Don't think about it Harry. I came to apologise, I realise I went a bit hard on you. But you have to understand, we were worried you were being forced to write those letters. Hermione kept saying it was you, that you would give a clue if that was happening, but it didn't stop me worrying, I've been an auror too long.'

'It's fine and I'm sorry for going off like that. Let's go inside and have a coffee, unless a drink is called for, depending on what else you might want to say.'

'A coffee is fine and I'm working.'

'Alright,' Harry took Severus hand and they both stepped into the house with Kingsley and his two aurors, 'They don't have to stand guard over you, I think you can trust us Kingsley and you know you can definitely trust me. How many times did we practice firing spells at each other?' Harry grinned as he went about making everyone a coffee.

'Gregory, Alistor, it's fine, both sit down.'

'Yes sir, but we will be alert.'

'I suppose that's their job and since I still want to be an auror, I'll have to get used to that, well if I get through the training that is.'

'You will Harry, you're too good not too. Severus, until I hear everything, I'm still not sure about you.'

'That understandable minister, but you will know everything soon and realise I had no choice. I did have an idea about this though, I own a pensieve, I could show you exactly what happened during those times, but I have one condition on that. Only you and Minerva are to see my memories.'

'Actually, that's not bad Severus. It will show me exactly what happened. Alright, why don't I work on seeing those with Minerva before you explain to everyone else?'

'That will be fine and if you would like to come to my place before we all head to the Burrow, you can take your time. I would assume you have spoken to Albus' portrait?'

'Yes, he filled us in on what he heard and saw in the office and about what Harry was doing after he died, the job he gave you Harry. Something extremely important and dangerous for someone so young and not fully trained yet.'

'I get that Kingsley, but you can understand why he wanted secrecy. If Voldemort found out, there would have been no way to stop him. Dumbledore was being extremely cautious and I think that came down to what happened with my parents. He offered to be there secret keeper, but my father and Sirius thought Pettigrew would be the perfect bluff. No one picked up on him being the spy.'

'That will also be explained, I said I want everything out Harry. So that piece of information will also be told but to everyone. You forgave me for that, so it's time I put it behind me as well.'

'If you want babe, that can stay between us as it's not really relevant. Dumbledore knew and he accepted it and got you worked into his plans. So you have time to really consider it before you decide.'

'I have decided, it's time for all the secrets to finally come out. I have no more fear of him finding out I was really Albus' spy. Over the last eighteen years, there have been so many secrets and a lot of lies. It's time for all the truth to be heard,' Severus felt Harry squeeze his hand, but gave him a nod. Kingsley realised that something they would hear soon would either been very important, or extremely shocking.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter seventeen

Kingsley, his aurors and Minerva arrived at Severus Snape's house in Spinners End. The aurors were concerned about the minister's safety because he would be out of their sight for a time. So Severus agreed to have all the memories brought out after the aurors gave their word to the minister that they would not repeat what they were about to see.

So Severus, who had already removed all the relevant memories, poured the first one into the pensieve the brought it out for all to see. One after another the group watched all the plans Severus and Albus put together to protect the students but still make it look like Severus was a death eater. All those meetings and all that Severus did do to stop the students being killed or seriously hurt. One memory was of Albus talking Severus into coming back to his side to help protect Harry.

Harry tightened his hold on Severus as the last memory played out, then looked at Kingsley to see what he was going to do.

'Alright, you actually stopped students being killed and stopped the staff being killed, so you will not be arrested. I will have to put part of this in a statement because parents of those students will want to know why you aren't facing trial over what happened at Hogwarts?'

'Yes, I expected you would. I just needed to show you the proof and I wanted Minerva to know exactly what I was doing.'

'Yes, some things make sense now Severus. You did save those children's lives. So since I do know the truth, I would like to ask if you would consider coming back to teach, but in your old position as potions master, Horace has decided to go back to his retirement.'

'Harry and I spoke about that and I would like to and Harry already said potions is what suits me and I quite agree with him. I enjoy potions, it's a passion of mine.'

'Which helped me Sev, all those potions you kept making for me so I would heal.'

'That's settled then, but now Mr. Potter, you and this relationship. Fine, you are an adult, so you can do what you want. But what happens when you return to do your last year?'

'We spoke about that as well Professor, I will treat Sev as a teacher, nothing personal will be shown by either of us. Behind closed doors is another matter and concerns no one but us.'

'As you are an adult, again I can't stop you. But both of you make sure no one sees, hears or knows anything is going on between you apart from a student, teacher relationship.'

'No one will Minerva, our private life is just that, private.'

'That's also settled, so I think we should head to the Burrow.'

'I wish to show two of these memories minister, so I will take the pensieve with me. I believe Molly and Arthur should see that I did protect their daughter and Mr. Longbottom should see that as well.'

'You could just tell them, but yes, seeing it will make them believe it. You did act well over the years Severus. None of us knew if you were a spy for Albus or Voldemort. Sometimes we thought Voldemort, other times Albus, like you would swap depending on which favoured you at the time.'

'I was Voldemorts up until Lily and James were killed as you saw yourself. But you will hear the last bit about that very soon.'

'Alright, let's head to the Burrow, they should all be there by now.'

They all left Spinners End and arrived at the Burrow. Kingsley led the group into the kitchen, where Severus placed the pensieve on the table before standing back with Harry and wrapped his arms around him.

'There's a lot to explain, starting from the time Lily and James were killed. Severus has agreed to show all of you two memories that will prove he actually protected the students even if he had to allow certain punishments to be used. Minerva and I just watched all of his memories of those times, so he will not be arrested for anything that happened at Hogwarts during that time.'

'I have also offered Severus his old job of potions master back, which I'm pleased to say he has agreed to,' Minerva said.

'But minister, they used unforgivables on us and he allowed it,' Neville said as he glanced at Snape.

'I did, but you will see why I allowed that very soon Mr. Longbottom.'

'Severus, why don't you start with what you want to tell everyone about Lily and James Potter?'

Severus nodded as Harry looked up at him, 'You don't have to, I know the truth and it doesn't really concern anyone else.'

'No, but as I said love, no more secrets, everything out in the open once and for all, the war is over, he's dead, there's no need to keep hiding anything anymore.'

'Alright, you're decision.' Harry tightened his hold on Severus arms which were still wrapped around him, 'You know I forgave you and accepted it.'

'I know you do love,' Severus gave him a smile before looking back up at everyone else. 'Aberforth knows a bit about this as he was the one that found me that day.'

'I remember Snape.'

'This is about the prophecy that was made about Harry and Voldemort. Only Albus, Aberforth, Harry and I knew who made it and what happened that day,' Severus felt Harry squeeze his arms, 'Sybil Trelawney made that prophecy, she was a fraud most of the time, but she has made a few real prophecy's over the years. She was in a room at the Hogshead, Albus went there to interview her for the position of divination teacher, which he was not going to have a divination teacher and was going to turn her down. But during their talk, she went into a trance that she still does not remember to this day. Albus sat there listening to the prophecy, I was outside the door also listening. Aberforth threw me out of his pub and told Albus later. I only heard the first half of it, which being a death eater at the time, I told Voldemort,' he took a deep breath then continued, 'The one with the power to vanquish the dark lord approaches, born to those that have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies. That is all I heard,' Severus looked at Harry who nodded.

'And the dark lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the dark lord knows not…and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…the one with the power to vanquish the dark lord will be born as he seventh month dies.'

Everyone sat there stunned apart from Neville who whipped his head to Harry and the two young men stared at each other, Harry giving Neville a nod.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter eighteen

'Harry, that never said you're name or you're parent's names.'

'I know Neville and I know what you're thinking. My birthday is July 31, yours is July 30. Your parents were aurors working for the order of the phoenix alongside mine. So yes, it could have meant either of us.'

'Then how come Albus made Lily and James do the fidelius charm and not Alice and Frank?' Kingsley asked.

'He had both do it Kingsley, as a precaution, but he always believed Voldemort would chose me over Neville, which he did. If he chose Neville and things played out the same way, he would have the scar, not me.'

'You said chose you, why?' Minerva asked.

'As Dumbledore and I have told everyone, Voldemort was a halfblood, his mother a witch, his father a muggle, Tom Riddle. Dumbledore believed he would see me as being the child that the prophecy meant because I was a halfblood like him, Neville's a pureblood. It came down to a choice on blood status.'

'Blimey Harry, sorry to say this, but I'm glad he never chose me, I'd be dead.'

'You don't know that Neville, none of us do. I'm sure your mother would have done the exact same thing as mine. I only survived because of her, you could have too.'

'Alright, about Severus telling Voldemort, care to explain the rest?' Arthur asked.

'I had no idea who it meant, when I told Voldemort, he did a bit of research. He found out about Harry and Neville. As I was his right hand man you could say, he told me he knew it meant the Potter boy. I was scared for Lily as we grew up together, I loved her. Not as everyone believes, I thought of her as my best friend and sister. So I went to Albus and told him that Voldemort was going after the Potters, so I asked him to save them, to protect them any way he could. Albus asked what would I give him in return for protecting them, even if he was going to anyway. He was always one step ahead with his plans. So from that moment on, I was his. Now even though Lily and James died, I stayed to help Albus protect Harry because he always believed Voldemort would return. Quirrell tried to kill Harry his first year at Hogwarts, I was able to stop Quirrell from getting Harry off the broom at that quidditch match. There were a lot of times that I worked things to keep Harry safe.'

'So even though he told Voldemort Harry, you're with him, I don't get that,' Ron said.

'When he explained, I already knew, I found out in our sixth year. I had a go at Dumbledore for not telling me it was Sev. Dumbledore asked me to keep that to ourselves, not to mention it to anyone, including you two. But Sev and I talked it all out and he did show me that memory of how he tried everything to keep us safe. He also spoke to my mother after Dumbledore explained about the prophecy. Severus would keep watch over all of us, he could not see the house of course, but it never stopped him. Day and night he would stay in hiding, watching and waiting. My mother saw him one day and they made up after their big fight at Hogwarts. She made Severus promise to do everything he could to protect me, which he did. He didn't know what Voldemort was going to do then Ron, he was different back then to what he was like the last few years.'

'He never killed unless it was absolutely necessary, he preferred torture until they agreed to go over to his side. That is how he got so many supporters back then.'

'Okay, I get it, he helped protect you, which none of us would ever believe. But what you said the other day, about him shagging woman. I was too shocked to really take in what that was about, so explain please Harry, I need to hear that.'

Harry looked up at Severus, 'Voldemort believed in keeping his death eaters happy. So he would take woman for them to use. I told Harry I never participated, but of course I never told Voldemort I was gay, he would have killed me on the spot. He wanted all pureblood to breed with other purebloods, the woman were just for him and his death eaters to use, for some fun.'

'So you see, I used to see that, feel it whenever he was shagging one of those women. But it was his feelings that confused me. I checked out Cho for a year, you know that, then Ginny, we dated for months and snogged a lot. It was those times when he was lusting after those women. Since I was confined to a bed, healing, Sev wouldn't let me move, I had a lot of time to think about that, well, about everything. I figured out my feelings weren't mine at all, they were his. Then I worked out I was gay because I remembered checking out a few blokes at Hogwarts, Cedric being one, he was cute, and you'll find this hard to accept Ron, but I liked the way Malfoy looked, I think it was his hair.'

'Oh gross, stop it Harry, how could you lust after the ferret,' Ron said then saw Professor McGonagall hide her face, 'See, even Professor McGonagall remembers why we called him that and you checked him out,' Ron shuddered.

'Ron, even I admit Malfoy was very nice looking, when he wasn't sneering at Harry.'

'Hermione,' Ron glared, 'I don't want my girlfriend saying something like that.'

'Let's forget about all that and if you three start we'll never get through all this,' Kingsley shook his head in amusement.

'That's just us Kingsley, I like making Ron's ears go red. Hermione always plays the logical person in our friendship and Ron, well he would just lose his temper or thought I was shagging the girl he liked.'

'Harry, you said we'd never bring that up.'

'We said everything out in the open Ron, including that. So tell Hermione how you saw us shagging.'

'What, Harry and I never, we're friends, how could you think we did that?'

'Alright,' Ron glared at Harry, 'the horcrux, the locket. Harry spoke parseltongue to open it, then wanted me to stab it since I'd just saved his life. So I was about to when I saw things.'

'Voldemorts disturbing and malicious mind having fun,' Harry said.

'Yeah, so there I am, standing in total shock why I see you and Harry naked, wrapped around each other, going for it. It's just lucky Harry broke through to me, so then I stabbed the locket with the sword. Hey Snape, sorry, Professor Snape, did you really bring us the sword?'

'I did, Finius Nigelus heard Miss Granger say the Forest of Dean. So I took the sword from behind Albus' portrait and placed it in the pond. Before you ask, only a worthy and courageous person can call for the sword. So Harry had to earn it, that is why I placed it in the pond. He asked why I couldn't put it up a tree as he's not a very good swimmer.'

'You're teaching me now though, but yeah. That blasted horcrux tried to kill me the moment I got near the sword. So I'm being dragged under, I needed air and thought this was it, I was going to die and no one would find me. Then arms pulled me out and it was Ron, he saved my life that night. Oh so you know as well, the doe patronus was originally for my mother as her patronus was a doe to match dad's stag animagi. But when my patronus ended up a stag, Sev thought we matched,' Harry grinned up at him before he planted his lips on Severus and they stood there snogging and didn't care that the kitchen were full of people.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter nineteen

'But what about the sword we tried to take and the punishment we got?' Ginny said stiffly.

'Albus had that sword made to fool everyone. Only I knew where the real sword was and why. Before he died, he explained how the sword was coated in basilisk venom from when Harry killed it to save your life Miss Weasley, and since then it could destroy a horcrux. He needed to get the sword to Harry, but again, why he worked all that out before he died. Albus had inadvertently cursed himself with one of the horcruxes, I was able to slow it down, but not stop it. We talked and I told Albus he had about a year, no longer. That was when he asked me to kill him and he knew it would be within that year. The night on the astronomy tower, I had no idea Harry was there, but I had to protect Draco as I made the unbreakable vow with his mother to keep him safe, Albus also asked me to keep him safe. He did not want Draco's soul damaged by killing, he knew I was wise enough to kill without it harming my soul. Now as for your punishment Miss Weasley, that was also Albus' idea. Hagrid would do anything to keep you safe, but what none of you knew was that I was also in the forbidden forest, keeping an eye on you. Alecto wanted some more severe punishment, I refused to let him.'

'What punishment Snape?' Arthur asked.

'For those involved, he wanted them chained naked in the dungeons and whipped. As I was in charge and they knew Voldemort had given me orders on how to run Hogwarts, I played on that. I told Alecto that the dark lord did not want to much blood spilt, he didn't care one way or another, but the Carrows were too frighten to question me and they would never question Voldemort. That is one of the memories I wish to show, how Albus told me to send them into the forbidden forest when I explained what Alecto Carrow wanted. Whenever I tried to stop all punishment, they got suspicious and if they found the courage to speak with Voldemort about what I was doing, there might have been a chance I would have been removed and the students left to the complete mercy of the Carrows, who were cruel and sadistic. Albus and I knew them both very well.'

'Okay, fine, you stopped that, which I am glad about. But something else happened that you never stopped, about what happened to the girls.'

'Can you show your memories of that Miss Weasley, as I never heard or knew anything about girls being hurt?'

'I don't have any proof, I just heard rumours,' Ginny said a little stiffly.

Harry and Severus glanced at each other and they could tell Ginny wanted Severus to look bad but it didn't work.

'Unless we can find proof of that, let's leave it for now. Arthur, Molly, I saw that memory of Albus and Severus talking about that punishment that Ginny was given. Severus will show you the memory if you wish. But there is one he stopped that I believe he should show all of you.'

'We trust you Kingsley, so if you say you seen it, that is good enough for us,' Arthur said.

'Then Severus, the memory please,' Kingsley said.

Severus nodded, then poured a memory into the pensieve, moved his wand over it and brought his own memory out for all to see.

Every Weasley, Hermione, Aberforth, Neville, Minerva, Kingsley, the two aurors, Severus and Harry watched Severus Snape listening in on the Carrows, on how they were going to kill Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnegan, Hannah Abbot and Ginny Weasley, the Weasley girl because she had been Potters girl. They heard how they were going to make sure Snape never found out so he couldn't stop them. Then they saw Severus step over to them and ordered that no one, not student or staff were to be killed and those orders were from the dark lord. If they wish to confirm those orders, the dark lord would be visiting Hogwarts that very night. Finally they all saw the Carrows back off and followed Snape's orders. Severus took the memory out of the pensieve and placed it back into the vial before he looked up at the people around the kitchen.

'As you can see, those four are alive today because of Severus doing the job Albus asked him to do. But also Albus knew that the students would be subjected to cruel punishment, all he asked was that Severus made sure they never went too far, which he did.'

'We owe you our daughters life Severus, thank you,' Arthur held out his hand and Severus shook it.

'It's what I promised Albus to do, keep them safe, but also to make sure Voldemort never suspected me. I could have left his service years ago, but Albus believed staying as his right hand man gave him the advantage, which it did. Oh one more thing minister, the plan to remove Harry from his relatives place that last time, that was thought up by Albus. He asked me to use the confundus charm on Mundungus to make it look like his idea. But I also had to give the real night you had planned to move Harry or it would have seemed too suspicious. Voldemort believed I was his spy but Albus trusted me with all important information, so we both thought it would be safest to give the correct day. Also, George, I am truly sorry about your ear, but I was trying to save Remus at the time. Avery was about to kill him when I sent the curse, but he moved at that exact time. So why Remus was helping you, and no one could see what I was doing, I killed him, that gave you and Remus enough time to escape.'

'Well Snape, all I can say is that bloody spell hurts, why did you invent something like that. Harry did tell us it was yours.'

'It was and at the time I was a death eater, so the more powerful and painful the spell, the better Voldemort liked it. I had the thought of that spell when I was still a student, I wanted to use it on James Potter and Sirius Black for all the times they hexed me. Harry knows all this, but he has also seen some of those memories, of his father and godfather hexing me, but also of me trying to hex them.'

'Yeah, my father was damn fast, Sev never stood a chance against him. Sirius always wanted to hex Sev just for fun and would do it when he wasn't expecting it. I spoke with Sirius and Remus about that not long before Sirius died.'

'I need a questioned answered Harry, one that only you can and after everything, I think I deserve to know,' Neville said seriously.

Harry saw the look on his friends face and knew exactly what Neville wanted to ask. So Harry nodded then turned to Hermione and Ron before looking back at Snape to tell everyone the one thing he needed to put behind him.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter twenty

'I know what you want to ask Neville and I always planned to explain. You want to know why I lied to you that night?'

'Yes, you tell me the snake had to die, I don't ask why, I just trusted you that it must have been important. Then I ask if you were turning yourself over to him, you said you weren't, but you did, right after walking away from me.'

Harry sighed and felt Severus tighten his arms around him, 'First the horcrux, it's the worst dark magic there is. Dumbledore was finding and destroying them before he died, after, I realised I had to finish what he started. There items Neville, Voldemort placed a piece of his soul into these items, he did this to make sure he never died. That's the idea of a horcrux, as long as one is out there, he will always live. But he made seven Neville, one he never knew about, thank merlin, the snake was one. She was made after he came back a few years ago, his seventh. But his sixth, the one he never knew got made, well, that was me,' Harry lifted his hair, 'This scar isn't because of the killing curse, it's where his soul entered me,' Harry opened his shirt and showed his other scar, 'This was when he destroyed it. Sev gave me the memory of Dumbledore explaining that I had a piece of soul and Voldemort had to kill me. After seeing that, I knew what I had to do, I had to die. So as I walking back down through the school I realised that Dumbledore only allowed me to tell Hermione and Ron. I was about to die, Hermione and Ron could die, I know that sounds cold, but I had to think like Dumbledore or we'd never be rid of him. So I needed someone I could trust, but also someone that wouldn't waste time with questions. Then I saw you, bringing in more of the people that died. If I told you I had to face him, you would have tried to stop me, I never even told Hermione or Ron what I was doing. So you see why I lied Neville, I couldn't waste time, people were dying and I could stop it, but only if I died first, which I was willing to do.' Harry put his head back against Severus.

'But you survived, you're here, how?'

'Well, I never realised I'd live, but how, well Dumbledore explained that night. I'll tell you that in a moment, but when Voldemort hit me with the killing curse, that destroyed the horcrux inside me, I was knocked out, but technically alive.'

'So the horcrux actually saved you, is that right?'

'Yes, but I never knew any of this. Dumbledore knew I would survive but never told Sev and we have no idea why he kept it from both of us. Anyway, why I was unconscious, I went somewhere, Dumbledore was waiting for me. He explained everything, finally told me the whole thing, every plan, every bit of information he'd been hiding for years. All I ask is that you never mention to anyone about me. But the help you and Aberforth gave, I figured you both deserved to know.'

'So when you said you had a job to do, that was destroying horcruxes, that was that job my brother gave you?' Aberforth asked.

'Yes, there was one more that we knew of in the castle. We had no idea what it was or where, only that it had something to do with Ravenclaw and it was at Hogwarts. Nagini was with Voldemort, he kept her with him at all times by then because he found out we were destroying pieces of his soul. That was after we broke out of Gringotts. He slaughtered everyone that was at Malfoy manor, except the Malfoy's and Bellatrix, who managed to escape his anger. Kingsley, did you find all the bodies there, including Pettigrew's?'

'Yes, Hermione and Ron explained how Pettigrew tried to kill you and how his hand killed him. Even after finding out he was the one that betrayed your parents, you still tried to stop him dying, why?'

'I don't know, but one thing I do know is I've seen enough death, I didn't want to see anymore, even him. The only death I wanted to see was Voldemorts. Too much death, too much violence, too much suffering, I just wanted it to end and even if I died, then for me, it ended.'

'That new scar, is that what needed healing?' Hermione asked.

Harry looked up at Severus, 'That was the main one, but Harry had a lot of injuries. A broken hip, broken foot, his fingers were broken, plus the burns, cuts and bruises all over him. I have never seen so many scars on anyone before. So I had Harry stay in bed for the first week, he needed to heal and keep as still as possible. The only time I allowed him to move was to use the bathroom, which I helped with that even after he told me to let him go alone. I would have found him on the floor if I did that.'

'I think it was more embarrassment, I was naked and needed help.'

'Why were you naked?' Ron asked as he stared up at Snape.

'Harry's clothes were disgusting, I threw them out. When he refused to move from the bed, I gave him one of my robes to wear.'

'You don't mind seeing each other naked now,' Kingsley grinned, then looked back at Hermione and Ron, 'After leaving here the other day, I found where Harry's house was. I tried the door, no answer, so I went round back and found both of them naked with Harry sitting on Severus.'

'I was rubbing lotion on his back, we just got out of the pool. It was easier to sit on him, but fun as well.'

'Oh gross Harry, we don't need to hear that and you better be clothed when we turn up, you did invite us you know. I've seen you naked before, I do not need to see Professor Snape and Hermione doesn't need to see either of you.'

'I don't,' Hermione raised her eyebrows at Ron, 'It might be an experience I'll never have again. Walking as a man was a strange experience.'

'Not going to happen Miss Granger, I keep telling Harry robes in case someone wishes to visits. Finally he started to listen to me.'

'You're lucky, he never listened to us, pretended to, then did what he wanted.'

'Hey, sometimes I listened, just not always. Anyway, are there any more questions about all this, because I'd like to go home and go for a swim with Sev. Hermione, Ron, Neville, why don't you three come back with us, but I promise we'll wear trunks.'

'Good, you better, I do not need a memory of seeing Professor Snape naked. Imagine, I could be sitting in his class and that image comes to me, no thanks,' Neville said but grinned, making the others laugh but it made Harry burst out laughing and everyone realised that Harry had already imagine doing that when he was a student again.

'I think you're students are seeing and hearing about a whole new side of you Severus. You might not have the same control over them as before,' Minerva chuckled.

'Oh when they start losing points or ending up in detention cleaning the potions room, that might remind them what I'm like.'

'What, even Harry if he stuffs up a potion?' Ron asked.

'Yes, even Harry, but his detention might be something completely different to yours Mr. Weasley.'

'Oh, now I'll make sure to stuff up my potions. But let's go, I want to get cool.'

'Give us a minute to get our costumes, you can wait five minutes.'

'And I can lend Neville something, come on Nev, let's go change.'

Harry watched his friends hurry up the stairs and he sighed in relief. They had accepted his relationship with Severus and he realised Severus must have known that as well, because he tightened his arms around Harry and put his chin on Harry's shoulder and they two men stood together, content with their relationship and content with their lives.

The end:


End file.
